A Life Rewritten
by telmeastory
Summary: Based loosely on Reptilia28's Don't Fear the Reaper Challenge. Harry has a past he never knew. He must learn magic far beyond that thought possible. And he must manage not to die, YET AGAIN! A story of history, magic, and soul mates. HP/HG/LL/DG/PP/OC
1. Chapter 1: Meeting the Reaper

Based loosely on Reptilia28's Don't Fear the Reaper Challenge. Enjoy!

Harry Hurt.

No, not like 'Voldemort's on a rampage and handing out cruciatus curses like candy' kind of hurt. This was different. When he had been hit with a few of those, he had only wished he was dead.

This kind of hurt though, this was worse.

Slowly, trying not to aggravate the issue, Harry gently opened his eyes. He immediately wished he had not. The light was too much. Far too bright. Especially after feeling like he had just passed through a tunnel. But there really was nothing he could do for it. After a few minutes, Harry decided to try again. He cracked his right eye, lifting his right hand to shield it from the light.

Another mistake.

Moving his arm made him wonder if rather than wishing he was dead, he actually was.

"Well of course you are, boyo."

Huh? The Irish Brogue launched from beside him once again.

"I said, well of course you are boyo. Now get your lazy bones up. It isn't as if this is your first soiree into my neck of the woods."

Suddenly there was even more pain. Hands roughly gripped Harry's shoulders, dragging him into a sitting position before another gasp of pain burst forth from Harry's chest. Considering all he had been through, why did this ache so much.

"Well, see, the cruciatus just tugs at your soul a bit. T'is is death hisself. You've actually been separated from your body once again, boyo." Harry was really starting to dislike this person. The Irish voice sounded, once more, impatiently but from in front of him as he opened his eyes.

Instantly Harry wished he had not. The angry sounding voice was echoing from an individual in front of him who looked vaguely familiar. There were several chins and the face was purple, or at least turning purple. Years of conditioning instantly kicked in at seeing that face so close to his own and Harry flinched, trying to curl up for the inevitable.

But then it did not come. After a moment, Harry relaxed and peeked out from behind his arm. The angry face was still there, but the man was standing back. With his arms crossed and tapping his foot on the ground, his eyes bore into Harry's in a way his Uncle's never had.

"Well come on, boyo. We got us a lot of work to do for yet anoter of your mistakes. Let's get movin."

Not even waiting, the man turned and began to move. Harry sat, rooted to the spot for another moment before jumping to his feet to follow. It was in this moment when Harry finally took a moment to notice his surroundings.

The walls were white, in an antiseptic way. The floor was the cleanest thing he had ever seen, a traditional pattern less tile, which simply seemed to go on forever. There were no pictures and all of the surrounding gurney's, apparently better for arrival than actual chairs, were empty. That said, he could see each one had been used rather recently.

That was an eye opener. And a reminder.

A reminder of the deaths he had seen, not only recently even. Harry's oldest memory, thanks to those damned dementors, was of his mother's sacrifice. Since then, he had seen Quirrell, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, George, Arthur, Molly, Remus, Tonks, Hagrid, Hedwig…well, far too many had died. He had even seen Ron and Ginny take killing curses.

But those were not the ones that got to him. No, for some reason Harry could not explain, the death that had ruined him was hers.

Hermione, falling lifelessly to the ground, that ad sent him over the edge.

They had been at the Battle of Hogwarts, hoping it would be the end. Harry and the golden trio had destroyed all of the horocruxes. They had followed Snape, and somewhere along the way managed to kill Nagini. Or Neville did, giving his own life to end the bloody snake.

The battle had been going back and forth at that point. The Death Eaters had given jut as well as the defenders of Hogwarts. Lives were ending left and right. And as expected, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were right in the thick of it.

They had lost their innocence long before that. Taking a life of a Death Eater, it was a moral battle long since ended. Today was about survival. And that survival had already been expensive.

Ron was the first to fall. He had just managed to drop Lucius with a stunner when Bellatrix came from the other side, casting a bludgeoning hex which caused the red-head's head to turn into a fine mist.

But there was no time to react. Harry followed this with a cutting curse of his own, one too powerful for the dark witch to bat away. It blew through her defense and removed the dark head of hair from her shoulders.

The loss of Ron had struck a chord in Harry and Hermione. They had been deadly before. Now they were ruthless.

Harry was so caught up in returning the favor while he singlehandedly began to turn the tide of the battle that he missed the arrival of the biggest player besides himself. He missed the cruel red eyes turn their hatred on the young teen. They missed the wand movement and the green light erupting from the tip.

But a set of chocolate eyes missed none of that. Noor did the bushy brown-haired with sit still.

But watching Hermione dive in front of a killing curse meant for him, that ended all forms of rational thought. Harry had no earthly idea why her death hit him so hard, but he felt it. Harry exploded, a light the same color as his eyes launching forth its own shockwave. Every living thing that light touched died.

All except one.

By some terrible nightmare, as Harry collapsed, he saw Voldemort stand as Harry breathed his own dying breath.

Harry's eyes hardened as he recalled what he had been doing just prior to awakening here. With a determined glint, Harry strode after the being who looked far too much like his uncle for comfort.

Down a long hall which appeared as sterile as the room he had just left, Harry followed this man. The only sound was the hollow echo of footsteps. After what felt like an incredibly long walk lasting only a few minutes, the two arrived at a door.

Without hesitation, the large man led him into the room, offering Harry a seat. As Harry settled into the chair, the large man imitating his uncle settled his own considerable bulk into the chair behind the desk.

And stared.

And stared.

After several tense moments of staring, Harry had enough.

"So…what is going on?" After a few more seconds of intense staring, the man began.

"Mr. Potter, do you really hate me that much? Based on the confused expression on your face, I must assume you are lost and confused. Such a terrible thing we kept having to wipe your mind." The last line was muttered more to himself than anyone else. He paused to study Harry once more before removing a folder from his desk which he began to review. "Mr. Potter, as your reaper, I must inform you that you have died, yet again. This time your foolishness could quite possibly cost me."

"Reaper?"

"Yes. I am Ian, your personal slave, I mean reaper. I used to have several more accounts, but you have ruined that for me, yet again."

"Ummm, again?" Harry was lost and the confusion shown through in his tone.

"Of course again. You think I would be this upset if this was your first death? I wasn't even this upset at your second, third, or fourth attempts to depart from the living."

"Fourth? Are you saying I have now died 5 times?" Harry was still trying to wrap his head around the whole death thing. This seemed like an incredibly elaborate prank by the twins. Had he not seen both die himself, he would be waiting for one of them to pop out.

"No." Harry Breathed a sigh of relief. "This is the 7th time you have died. Exactly once for each year you attended Hogwarts. It was those keys your first year, the Acromantulas in second, Boggart in third seeing as they do take on the abilities of your fear, falling down the stairs from an upset Cedric fan in fourth, blood loss from a blood quill in fifth, and splinched yourself in sixth. Naturally you managed to live through the most insane situations. Do I need to remind you the why behind your current visit?" Harry shook his head, still trying to wrap his head around things. Apparently Ian was insane. Or Harry was. But Ian wasn't done chewing Harry out.

"But here is the thing, boyo. Dying is the worst, but it really is your own fault." That drew Harry up short. Well, more so than previously.

"My fault?"

"Well of course. You could have had it all. You are a legacy of unbelievable strength and ability, you know. Not only that, but your father was a master of transfiguration while your mother could out charm and out potion any other individual out there. Head Boy and Girl, they were. Found their soul mates, they did. You on the other hand, content with mediocrity. Completely skipped grabbing that soulmate or two. Probably would have been a disappointment."

"Hey now, there is no need for that."

"No, well then do tell me just what kept you from living up to their legacy."

"Nothing. I did what I could."

"You mean," Ian leered over the desk making Harry truly feel small, "You fell in with that red-headed buffoon."

"Ok, stop this now. Do not call Ron that."

"Well why not? He is another factor in your early death. That idiot's manipulations almost cost you as much as the twinkle-eyed one, or either of the red-headed potioneers." Harry was truly and completely lost at this point. Ron? Manipulation?

"What are you on about. Ron has been my best mate since first year."

"is that so? Did you know he is the one who spread the rumor about you being the heir of Slytherin?"

"He would never!" Harry was truly becoming annoyed. Harry had just watched Ron die not that long ago and now this jerk who looked too much like his uncle for comfort was attempting to change his mind. The grin which spread across Ian's face was unsettling.

"Indeed? Well let's watch, shall we?" Ian pulled out a pensive and placed it on the desk. Inside was a swirling silver mist, the likes of which Harry had come to know well. "These memories were pulled directly from this best mate of yours. He passed through here not long before you did." Ian gestured to the mist. Harry was hesitant at first, but seeing Ron in the pensive led Harry to leaning in and entering the memory.

 _Ron was sitting in their charms class, shared with the Hufflepuffs. Justin was sitting close to him._

" _Look mate, I'm not saying he is bad, but name one parslemouth who didn't go bad." Justin's eyes shot open in terror._

" _They say that You-Know-Who was a parselmouth, not to mention Slytherin." Justin looked ready to faint._

" _Weasley, are you trying to say Potter is the heir of Slytherin?" A new voice erupted from behind them. Ernie Macmillan looked on with pure terror in his eyes. Ron opened his mouth to respond when a younger Harry strode into the room. The Hufflepuffs, decked out in their yellow and black, jumped back to their own seats, none daring to make eye contact with Harry._

Harry gasped as the memory faded. He turned a critical eye to Ian. "Those can be faked."

"Well of course they can. But if you need more proof, look at your fourth year or even the hunt. And it didn't stop at making a bad name for you in those instances." Harry was still groaning from the sense that Ian was making. And apparently there was more.

"What else was there?"

"You were incredibly famous, boyo. Ever wonder why no one beyond Ron and Hermione ever really tried to be your friends?" Harry tensed. Was Hermione in on this as well? Ian responded, as if reading his mind. "No, she wasn't in on it. She was the exception you never grew up for. No, we are still focused on Ron." Ian stopped and gestured once again to the pensive. With a deep breath, Harry threw himself into the tub once again.

 _Ron was sitting at the Gryffindor table. Harry was distracted by Hermione when Ron noted a green and silver tie heading in his direction._

" _What do you want Greengrass?" Ron hissed. The young blond merely stared back._

" _That is none of your business, Weasley." As she continued to make her way toward Harry, Ron stepped directly between the two. He looked ready to fight._

" _Well if you are trying to talk to Harry, stop. He hates you snakes even more than I do."_

" _Well then he can tell me that himself." Daphne seemed to be getting frustrated. That was quite a task with the blond Slytherin._

" _He won't even pay attention. Walk away now you Slytherslut." Ron crossed his arms._

 _After a moment of consideration, Daphne glared at Ron before turning to walk away. Harry kept watching until he saw her make it back to her own table. Her eyes were suspiciously shiny as she glanced once more toward the Gryffindor table before her eyes hardened."_

Harry felt his heart break. How could Ron do that. Harry was not petty enough to fight over which house someone belonged to. He merely didn't want to be with Draco. Daphne had been nice enough up until 5th year. Harry nodded to Ian's unasked question as to whether he believed Ian about Ron.

"And he was not the only one." Harry sighed. As if this was not enough, now there was more. How many more betrayals could he handle?

"Who else?"

With a cruel grin, Ian asked his next question while directing Harry back to the Pensive. Harry, throwing himself in, almost missed the question. "Just why did you start dating Ms. Weasley?"

 _There was a late night. It was obviously a girl's dorm room. Sitting on the bed was Hermione and Ginny. Hermione had tears streaking down her face, but she was smiling._

"… _then Harry came out and sat with me. Maybe I had it all wrong. Ron and I, all we do is fight. Harry…"_

" _Doesn't need you to get in his way right now." Hermione stopped at the red-head's interruption._

" _What?" She sounded as if she was heading back toward tears. "What do you mean Ginny?"_

" _Hermione, Harry has all this stuff hanging over him. He doesn't need a girlfriend to get in the way right now." Hermione gave the younger woman a considered look._

" _Or is it you don't think you stand a chance against me if Harry had to choose?" The room suddenly became much colder. Suddenly Ginny started laughing before moving over and pulling two bottles of butterbeer out of her trunk. While her back was to Hermione, Harry watched as Ginny dropped some sort of potion into one of the butterbeers before handing it to Hermione._

" _I'm sorry Hermione, I got carried away." She paused, waiting while Hermione considered the drink. She let Hermione take a long pull from it before sitting back down beside Harry's bushy haired best friend._

" _Yeah, you're right. I can do better than Harry."_

Harry felt his heart drop as he left the pensive. Hearing that hurt nearly as much as Hermione's death. But he had no idea why.

"What….What was that?" Harry croaked that out.

"What else could it be? That was young Ginny potioning Hermione with a mix of love potion to Ron and loyalty to him as well."

That stopped Harry short. What could that all mean? If Hermione had to be potioned to love Ron…

"That's right!" Ian said in a sick sing-song voice.

Harry's head dropped into his hands. But the revelations just kept coming.

"Of course neither Ron nor Ginerva could really manage that level of potions until about the time you left to chase horocruxes."

"Molly." Harry did not need it explained. He knew where this was all going. "And the rest of the Weasleys?"

"As far as we know, no involvement beyond loving you."

Harry felt his heart clench. Love? Considering how he grew up and his only in depth romantic relationship was manufactured, what the hell did he bloody well know about love? His head shot back up at the sound of a throat being cleared.

"Well, I supposed next we should go on to Severus Snape."

"Snape?" Harry questioned. Just last night…or what felt like last night at least, he had learned Snape loved his mother.

"Indeed, the greasy git did love your mother. But let us consider a few things. What did he ask both Voldemort and Dumbledore to do?"

"Save her?"

"Exactly. Save her. He did not care what happened to either you or your father. And what was the final thing he asked you as you died?"

"To look into my eyes."

"Sure enough. Tell me, who are you always told you got your eyes from?"

Harry gasped with the realization. "My mother." Snape cared nothing for him. Snape cared only for Snape. Through it all, to the very end, Snape cared solely for Snape.

"And finally, that brings us to Dumbledore."

That one brought Harry up short. The great wizard had always seemed so positive. He was the leader of the light, after all. Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, all that jazz. With a resigned sigh, Harry looked back at Ian.

"Ok, do tell."

"Mr. Potter, tell me who has made every single decision regarding your life?"

"Ummm….me?"

"Really? So you chose to go to the Dursley's? And who places a priceless artifact behind traps that three first-years could make it through? Who was the headmaster at the school where you were accused and bullied for being the heir of Slytherin? Who was the Chief Warlock of the judicial body which sent your godfather to Azkaban with no trial? Your magical guardian who granted you the ability to participate in the Tri-wizard Tournament? Need I continue?" Harry shook his head.

"Wonderful. Then we can move on to the next issue. Your soul mates!"

"Ummm…what?"

"Your soul mates."

"Right." With an exasperated sigh, Ian went more in depth.

"See, everyone has a soul mate. Actually, I take that back. Everyone has two soul mates. There is a reason for that. I mean, if everyone only had one, it would be nearly impossible for someone to find their soul mate. That said, it is not common. Finding even one of those, particularly if they live on the other side of the world, is difficult if not impossible. So many settle for a compatible soul, if not an actual soul mate. Generally, especially in today's society, marrying one person is acceptable. Not finding your soul mate generally is not that big a deal." Ian stopped reviewing the file, looking over it. His eyes bore into Harry's. "In your case, Mr. Potter, you have five soul mates. More than that, you met nearly all of them. And you still did not manage to love them, therefore completing the soul bond and increasing your abilities. And it cost the world as you could not defeat Voldemort."

Ian's voice grew as this went on. The final line was then said in a nearly soundless whisper.

"But now we get one final chance to fix it." There was a feral grin on Ian's face. "We get to send you back once more. But there are some benefits." With a flourish, Ian drew out a long sheet of paper. "Here is a contract, designed by Fate and Chance. With the approval of Death, we are being given the opportunity to send you back, much further this time. You will fix this. You will not die until you reach your 200's. Should you accept this, you will also receive Fate' gift and be playing chance's game. Do you accept?"

"Do I get to know the gift or game first?"

"Now what is the fun in that?"

"Fine, I accept."

"Excellent! This time, you shall retain your memories. There will be much to do. You must defeat Voldemort this time. And you have the tools. By loving all of your soul mates, you will expand your abilities. Yes, I know, more than one. That is part of Fate's gift. The other's are the fact that one of your soul mates was not at Hogwarts last time. One soul mate is some granger girl according to your account. The rest of the details have been redacted. Fate's gift is that information. Chance's game is that he will give you a nudge toward those soul mates. It will be up to you to decide what that means and to act on it. When you do, as a kiss is shared in love, your soul mates' experiences from this timeline shall be returned

"In addition, you must, obviously, end Voldemort. Death is tired of being cheated. You shall be his champion. You must stop Dumbledore's manipulations. They are costing lives well before they should be while he, himself, voids it.

"And finally, you must accept your role. Dumbledore, Voldemort, they are symptoms. Fix the system."

"Wow." Harry felt lost. That was a great deal of information. How was he supposed to handle all of this? He reached out to sign the contract that Ian was laying before him.

"Oh, one final thing, Mr. Potter."

"Yes?" The room began to fade.

"When you return, visit the goblins. Ask for an inheritance test and ask them about the end times prophecy."

End times prophecy? That sounded ominous. As Harry faded, he missed Ian's final words and smile.

"Good luck, our champion."


	2. Chapter 2: Goblin Love

Harry woke with a scream as his soul reattached, yet again, to his body. His body jumped as he rammed his head into something solid. Opening his eyes, Harry recognized the space immediately. When Ian said they were sending him back, they were not kidding. This was back.

Way back.

Harry was sitting once more in his cupboard beneath the stairs. Thinking back, he knew this could be just before his first year. No telling how long before. His relatives had unceremoniously tossed him back in there as he returned from his shopping trip with Hagrid. Then again, this could be well before his time with Hagrid.

Harry heard stomps in response to his scream. Well, he would find out soon.

The vent on the door snapped open, revealing the light of day, before the door was yanked open. There, filling the doorway, was his massive uncle.

"Stop screaming boy. You are already leaving us tomorrow." There was a deadly threat to the man's voice. But still, Harry took what information he could and ran with it. Apparently it was nearly September first. And he still needed to meet with the Goblins.

"Ok Uncle Vernon. What if I were to get out of your hair before things got busy." This seemed to catch the man whose face was purpling off guard. He turned a cautious eye on Harry.

"Just what do you mean?"

"Well, when Hagrid-"

"The Giant?"

"Yes, him, when he took me shopping for my stuff, I saw an inn for our kind-"

"Freaks?" It took everything in Harry not to scream.

"Anyway, it was just down the road from King's Cross. Perhaps I could stay there. My parents left me a small vault to pay for school and since I got some secondhand stuff, there should be just enough extra to cover tonight." Harry really didn't want them to know he had money, but this made it sound as if he didn't. To take his money for school would lead to them being stuck with him longer. It was a chance he was willing to take. Vernon considered him a second longer before seeming to make a decision.

"Hurry up boy, grab that trunk and bird of yours. I can get you there well before dark." Vernon did not even wait for Harry to respond before moving off out the door to make his way to the car. Harry was left rushing in his small, weak, 11-year-old body as he attempted to drag his trunk and Hedwig's cage to the door. Harry didn't even have time to stop when he realized Hedwig was alive again. It did bring a tear to his eye.

Ten minutes later, Vernon was off trying to get rid of his nephew as soon as possible.

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

As Harry arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, he nodded to Tom who silently nodded back before making his way over. So as not to be overheard, Tom leaned down.

"Well now isn't this a surprise, seeing you again. What can I do for you Mr. Potter?"

"Would it be possible to get a room until the 1st?" A Large toothless grin spread across the old barkeep's face.

"Of course Mr. Potter. Room number 7 upstairs and to your right."

"Thank you Tom," Harry stated, placing some coins in Tom's hand. "Would it be possible for you to make sure my Owl and trunk make it upstairs undisturbed? I have some business to attend to."

Another grin and Tom was off while Harry made his way back into the Alley. Drawing his wand, he felt the warmth as he pressed the appropriate brick. Still amazed by such simple magic, Harry stepped through the newly formed archway. Doing his best to maintain his childlike demeanor as he made his way through the crowd to get to the large white building at the other end. As he approached, he mulled over the carved poem. To the Goblins, it was poetry. Witches and Wizards may have interpreted it as a warning, but the Goblins were merely showing off their art.

Goblins were shrewd with long memories. It was why there were so many rebellions. It was why they were so rude to Wizards. And it was the reason they made such spectacular bankers. Goblins had dry, wry senses of humor. They were crude. But they were to the point. Their respect was hard to earn, but once done, they would never forget.

With this in mind, Harry approached the first open teller. He waited until the teller addressed him. Tellers were the lowest level of the totem pole for Goblins. Goblins despised humans, so the more contact a particular role had with humans, the less importance the role held. Cart runners were slightly above the tellers.

"What do you want, Wizard?" The goblin drawled without even looking up. Harry smiled to himself. Not to the goblin. You never smiled at a goblin before becoming friends with him. You were serious and respectful. Even to those low on the totem pole.

Harry heard a shriek from just down the row. He glanced over to see an older wizard looking ready to throttle someone.

Ok, well you respected them if you ever wanted to get anywhere and did not think you were better than all other races.

"I need to speak to someone about an inheritance test and to visit the potter vault." There, straight forward and to the point. There was a pause as the teller studied Harry. After a few tense moments, he spoke.

"Very well Wizard, we must have you go speak with Blackfang, the Potter account manager. Follow me."

A small pass immediately appeared in the counter beside the teller's stand, which Harry jumped to get through before it closed. The teller was already off and on his way toward a corridor. Harry followed until he reached a door labelled for Potter. As the knock was answered, Harry moved into the door, seeing a sneering goblin behind the desk. It was obviously an older goblin. He looked sleazy, even for a goblin. Harry cringed as he heard the voice which erupted from the goblin.

"Well Mr. Potter, now you decide to visit me. Couldn't even manage that the last time you entered our halls?"

"Do shut up, Blackfang." Harry knew he could not let himself be walked all over. This goblin was already rubbing him the wrong way. He had no issues treating goblins with respect, but Blackfang was pushing his patience. "We really have bigger things to discuss, such as your incompetence." Harry really hoped he wasn't pushing too hard. He knew the bank policy, but would that stand up with his ire? Would the rest of the goblins agree with him or their fellow here? There was a cautious face on Blackfang's face.

"And how is that, Mr Potter?"

"Simple. I have never received a single piece of mail from you. No bank statement's, no request for an inheritance test, nothing." Here it was. This was Blackfang's chance. Harry knew someone close to his account was in Dumbledore's pocket. His experience with Ian while reviewing what he knew and learned in his previous life was more than enough to confirm this. It was time for his account manager to prove himself to Harry. The long pause continued. Then a feral grin came across Blackfang's face.

"Come Mr. Potter. There is no real need for the inheritance test. We both know who you are. A for statements, they have been sent, I must assure you. I send them every month to your magical guardian. I also heard you wished to visit your vault?"

Harry froze. He had wanted to learn about the End Times Prophecy, but it seemed asking Blackfang was out. The goblin had just given himself away as a failure. So Harry took an alternative route.

"Very well. May I request a cart runner?" The look faded from Blackfang's face for a moment. It seemed he did not expect Harry to be so understanding or respectful. Harry couldn't tell the goblin's thoughts, but he felt confused about everything he had been told about the young man. He was informed this wizard despised goblins. That he would steal from them in a moment. So Blackfang went with that approach. Apparently Blackfang was wrong.

And he knew he just fucked up. He nodded his head.

"In that case, I would like to request Griphook."

"Very well, give me just a moment." Blackfang reached for some runes on his desk, signaling for Griphook.

It was a few minutes later when a bewildered Griphook entered the room.

"You requested my presence, vaultlord?" Griphook bowed before Blackfang. Blackfang was still studying Harry, who he gestured toward. Griphook looked over to the young wizard and did a double take.

"Welcome back Mr. Potter. We did not expect your return so soon."

"Is that so?" Harry commented. His own eyes were still focused on the goblin sitting behind the desk. Harry had already decided the older goblin was done managing his accounts. The only question was how. With a final glance at Blackfang, seeing the fear in the older goblin's face, he offered one final note before leaving with Griphook.

"Blackfang, I am disappointed in you. Should you leave this office or contact anyone between now and my return, I shall be far more upset. That would not go well for Gringotts." Harry followed Griphook, his point made. Previous to his most recent death, he had begun to learn about his fortune. And a fortune it was. Should he get upset, the Potter money could leave. That would place the goblins at a severe disadvantage in their general operations.

As they entered the cart, Harry said nothing beyond a general greeting for Griphook. As they arrived at the vault, Harry followed Griphook's directions to enter. Once inside, Harry collapsed. He'd been putting on a face with the goblins, but this was new. Seeing his family relics? That was a change. So was the voice he heard.

"Well now, there is a Potter if I have ever seen one."

Harry's head snapped around to see the portrait. There, before him was a picture. The name below it just said Alex. There was nothing more. The man had wild black hair, just like Harry. He also shared that crooked smile that Harry had, not knowing it drove women crazy. Harry grinned right back.

"Aye, so I am. And who might you be?"

"Alex, but most of you lot call me grandfather." Harry smiled.

"Well, good to see you then, grandfather."

"You seem to be enjoying yourself here. Don't worry, none of it is going anywhere. But, if I may suggest it, take a look at the podium near the middle. You may find something intriguing as well as useful there."

"Thank you grandfather, I'll be back."

"I have no doubt you will, lad."

Harry moved to the podium and froze. Sitting on the top of that wonderful little platform were three books. One Harry immediately recognized. It was a massive, leather bound unit. He would have been at a loss to name what it was if not for the name across the front: Potter.

It was the potter family Grimoire.

Next to this were two other boos which after looking just inside the front of them, Harry was moved to tears. "James Potter and Lily Evans."

"Indeed, they left them here, around…a decade or so ago?" Harry heard Alex's voice call out from behind him. With tears, Harry just smiled and grabbed both books. While he desperately wanted to take the Grimoire as well, he would start with these. Turning back to Alex, Harry said his farewells.

It was back in the cart that Harry began the conversation he really wanted.

"Griphook, I requested an inheritance test from vaultlord Blackfang. He said no. That seems a tad odd to me. He also said something about sending my statements to my guardian rather than me. Call me crazy, but isn't all of that a bit against bank policy?"

Harry placed his hand on his chin thoughtfully while he noted the rage building on Griphook's face.

"No Mr. Potter, that is incorrect."

"Harry."

"Sorry?"

"Please call me Harry, Griphook. You are one of the first people I have ever met in the magical world. While I hope we can be friends one day, I would like for you to call me Harry." Harry would have missed the grin attempting to form on Griphook's face had he not been watching.

"As you wish Mr. Potter. Before we return to Vaultlord Blackfang's office, would you mind if I spoke to a few people?"

"Are you sure Griphook? I do not want to be a hassle."

"No problem at all. Please wait right here."

Harry did not have to wait long before Griphook returned on the heels of a very dangerous looking goblin. This goblin paused to regard him.

"Mr. Potter, I understand there have been some issues with Vaultlord Blackfang?"

"Please excuse my ignorance, sir, but I generally prefer to know who I am speaking with before disclosing personal concerns." The goblin studied him a moment longer before beginning to chuckle.

"No worries at all, Mr. Potter. I am Ragnock the twelfth, current ruler of the goblins of Britain. I am here at the request of Griphook to discuss your situation." Harry was shocked.

"Excuse me sir, but why would the leader of the Goblin Nation wish to take time to discuss my issues?"

There was a shared glance between the two goblins before things clicked for Harry.

"Would this have anything to do with a certain 'end times prophecy'?" Another glance passed between the goblins.

"Mr. Potter, what do you know about this?" Ragnock had a tense look on his face.

"Nothing sir." Harry raised his hands in surrender. "I was told to come ask the goblin nation about it, but I prefer not to work with Blackfang."

Ragnock seemed to catch the greater meaning.

"You leave that to myself Mr. Potter." In that moment, both turned to enter the office. As they did, they caught one Blackfang attempting to contact someone on his personal floo. The only issue, was that Ragnock had shut down the floo.

"Mr. Blackfang!" Ragnock's voice roared. Harry was terrified. From the looks on their faces, so were Griphook and Blackfang.

"Your time here is no longer required. Please go return the cart."

All parties stared in shock. Griphook at the Blackfang's ignorance, Harry at the audacity of his Vault manager, and Blackfang at his simple dismissal. With a sour look on his face, Blackfang glared at the others. As he drew the door open, Ragnock's voice roared once more.

"And you are hereby restricted to the lower levels following. No access to anything beyond the walls of Gringotts."

All eyes turned to Ragnock. That was a very heavy reduction of privilege. As the surly goblin left, Ragnock settled into the chair, motioning for Harry to take a seat.

"Alright, Mr. Potter, let us get this inheritance test rolling. Please take this knife, and place a few drops of blood on this parchment."

After a moment to study the knife, Harry did exactly that. Then he sat in anticipation of what it would find. He was at a loss when Ragnock folded the parchment as a letter and handed it to Griphook.

"Take this to the inheritance office. I want a full test run." Catching the disappointed look in Harry's eyes, Ragnock chuckled. "Did you expect something, I don't know, more magical Mr Potter?"

"More instantaneous, at least." Harry muttered. Ragnock heard him and began laughing more heavily.

"Well now, Mr Potter, we must find a new vault manager for you."

"What about Griphook, sir?" Harry blurted this out before even thinking. He had only ever really met one goblin until today. Griphook was a thorough and good goblin. Still, he knew this was ultimately Ragnock's decision. Bowing his head abashedly, he missed the grin gracing Ragnock's face. Both turned as Griphook re-entered the room.

"Griphook, Mr Potter has requested you to become his new vault manager. What do you think?"

Griphook froze. Staring at Ragnock, then Harry in turn. He attempted to get his mouth to move. When no sound came out, he began to nod.

"Excellent. Now on to more challenging things." There was a pregnant and tense pause. "The End Times Prophecy."

Ragnock withdrew an ancient looking parchment from his robes.

"You have heard something about death being the great equalizer?" At Harry's nod, Ragnock continued. "It comes from this here."

Ragnock moved to open the parchment. In a clear voce which echoed in the large office the words seemed to hang in the air.

 _ **The power to end the darkest of times**_

 _ **Rides with the one with Green in their eyes.**_

 _ **Not once, not twice, but shifting the times,**_

 _ **Come with chocolate, brown, blue, grey, and silver.**_

 _ **The Harbinger of Death brings us all to unity.**_

All parties in the office stared calmly at one another. There was so much there, yet nothing at all. Too much like another prophecy which Harry knew had plagued his life.

"So just what does this mean?"

"Mr. Potter, you must understand, this prophecy is nearly as old as the written word. It predates not just the ministry, Hogwarts, and Merlin. This even predates Stonehenge and the Egyptians. Ancient does not describe where this comes from. So we respect it. And I know of only one line with a Green Eyed Wizard of power."

Again, they fell into another easy and simple silence. The atmosphere grew tense. But through it all, Harry was still lost. With these goblins beside him, he asked the one question which was truly haunting him right that moment.

"But what does it mean."

After a bit more jostling and debating as Griphook transitioned into his role, Harry stood.

"Forgive me gentlemen, but I have a train to catch tomorrow. Please do forgive me running out like this and have an excellent evening yourselves!

Harry returned to his room in the Leaky Cauldron. He would be early tomorrow. No chance was he going to miss seeing these people. He had lost several. One in particular jumped out at him.

Harry was going to see Hermione again tomorrow!


	3. Chapter 3: Hogwarts Express, Part I

Harry woke with a start. His first thought was to look for an attack. It took a moment for him to register that the noise was just Tom knocking on his door. Of course by that time, Harry's wand was in his hands and he had rolled onto the far side of the bed from the door, hitting the ground in a kneeling position. With a solid shake of his head to clear the remaining tension, Harry rose to accept Tom's invitation of breakfast and a floo trip to the express. As much as he despised Floo travel, anything which got him out of the path of the Weasley's was good. I mean, come on, how much more obvious could they be.

Well, apparently much more, seeing as the pieces didn't click until Harry had been beat over the head with their manipulations. A Woman who had visited the platform so many times, her husband a somewhat higher ranking ministry official, out in the middle of King's Cross shouting about muggles? Good thing he never told Hermione that story. She would have known in an instant and that would have been very bad. And probably very messy.

An hour later found Harry sitting in the last cabin on the train, waiting as others began to pour into the station. A quick glance out the window told Harry he had time as families were just beginning to mill about, but he still was riding too high on adrenaline at the moment. So he settled back down into his seat and pulled out his Dad's journal. He had flipped through a few pages of them both last night. Particularly the final day. His mum's last entry had been on the 30th of October. Harry thought fondly back.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Don't really know why I still open each of these entry's like that. Seems like a bloody waste to me, but its habit at this point I suppose. I really feel like I should be writing cleaner here to provide Harry with a better example, but that is why it is here instead of coming out of my mouth._

 _And Harry. You remind me so much of your father. And your uncles and godfather. And your grandparents. Shite, you are barely a year old and yet you are still so mischievous. I saw when you turned Padfoot's hair green and his skin silver. They all thought it was accidental, but a mother knows. I saw that look in your eye young man. I know._

 _An I love it. It made me sad when we recently gave in to Dumbledore's wishes and capped your magic. But to have that level of control at one year? Not that it ultimately matters. The Headmaster has promised to remove it upon your arrival at Hogwarts._

 _And these are sad times. It is my greatest fear that we will not be there to see you at Hogwarts. But that is also my greatest hope. I love you so much, my little boy, that if the cost of you making it to Hogwarts is my not being there to see it, I would gladly pay the price._

 _Well, now that I've made myself cry, I think it is time to actually go and play with you, my precious baby boy._

 _Lilly Evans Potter_

Harry felt the tears building in his own eyes as he opened his father's journal to this final page. He was not sure this would be any easier.

 _Harry, my boy!_

 _Ok, stop. Son, should anyone ever greet you like that, stop. Don't even talk to them. Simply stop and run away._

 _These are tense times. Your mum and I have spent the better part of the past six months in hiding, attempting to protect you. But it hasn't been enough. Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail are still out there fighting and I feel like a sitting niffler just waiting here._

 _I can't even go comfort my own godson. Neville and you miss one another dearly. But rather than be there for him, I'm stuck behind this bloody Fidelus Charm Dumbedork convinced us to use._

 _Don't get me wrong, son, the man is a great wizard. A great person on the other hand…._

 _So like I started, should anyone ever address you that way, Harry, run. They are simply using you for their own good and will rarely, if ever, consider you in the picture beyond what you can offer. And believe it or not, you are a wealth of information, ability, and strength. No one truly knows to what extent. Heck, even I only know one half of it._

 _But that is your legacy. To learn it. Because as much as I will strive to ensure that both you and your mother reach the end of this conflict alive, my gut tells me differently. And my gut is rarely wrong._

 _Except when it comes to fights with Lilly for some reason. Somehow, no matter what my gut says, I'm wrong. Ah well, I love her._

 _And for the two of you, I will move mountains if need be. That bastard will never walk through these doors unscathed. I am not yet at my father's level, such as when he took Grindelwald, but I have more to me than Dumbledore will admit, and I will lay it all down if only to see you and your mother walk away._

 _I love you, Pronglet. Always remember that._

 _James Charlus Potter._

Something about that entry brought Harry up short. It really didn't fit with all he had been told about his father. His dad was a transfiguration prodigy and one hell of a fighter, but he was still a man. But from the sounds of it, war had been in his blood. Harry knew his dad had fought Voldemort three times and survived with his mother. He did not know his grandfather had faced off against Grindelwald. And apparently survived. Harry remembered that his grandparents had been slain just hours before his parents.

Harry was disturbed from his thoughts by a frantic pulling at the handle to the cabin. Harry tensed, fearing at first it was the Weasley's coming to make them his family. Instead, he was shocked when a blond head of hair ripped open the door and a small girl with the brightest silver eyes fell through. She landed directly on top of Harry, as he had stood to greet this threat.

In his arms lay Luna Lovegood.

She jumped up off of him and began to look around frantically. After regaining his senses, Harry stood and placed a hand on her arm, attempting to calm her wild searching.

"Excuse me Miss…"

"Lovegood." Harry felt annoyed. Or sad. At the moment, he wasn't really sure which.

"Right, Miss Lovegood, can I help you with anything?" Then the unexpected happened. The small frantic waif of a girl stopped and turned a calculating gaze upon him. As green met silver, it was a tense couple of minutes. Finally, she seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Yes Harry Potter. Molly Weasley is attempting to drag me home to my father when she has no right. Can you help me?" Harry froze the moment she said his name. Of course he thought he was over the shock of people knowing who he was. Apparently, that was not yet the case. Once again shaking loose the random thoughts he was fighting, Harry instantly reached up and placed Hedwig's cage on the seat. He then pulled forth his robes and tossed them over the still sleeping owl before carefully helping Luna stow herself away between the cage and the wall. He moved to the door to ensure he could not see her and, once satisfied, sat himself down just in time for the red-headed monster to open the door. Well, one of them.

"Hi, mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full." Harry had to fight down the bile. He had learned over the years this was a lie. It was a magical bloody train. Of course there was always space. Taking a deep breath, Harry stood to face the young boy who had once been one of his best friends.

"Is that so? I know I saw a few just a few minutes ago when I came through. And not to be too rude, Mr…?"

"Weasley. Ron Weasley."

"Charmed." Harry put on an aristocratic air he learned from watching Malfoy. "But to be honest, I was hoping to have some space to myself. We both know that the train is perfectly capable of creating enough space for that to happen?"

The shock on Ron's face made it completely evident that the excuse, well thought out for an unprepared Harry, was the only plan in place. After gaping like a fish for a minute, Ron began to speak.

"But mum said that dumb….I mean, well of course we do. I'm sorry Mr.?"

"Potter." Harry didn't drop his tense gaze as the Red-head's eyes flipped up to his hairline momentarily.

"Well, again, I apologize Mr. Potter." The sneer on Ron's face would have done Snape proud. It also sent a disgusted shiver down Harry's spine as he turned to face Luna.

"So tell me a bit about yourself, Miss Lovegood." The small blond seemed to consider him once more before diving in.

"Well, my name is Luna Lovegood. Though several of the kids from where I'm from call me Loony." Luna reverted to her patent blank stare as off in neverland for a moment. Harry took this as a sign he needed to say something.

"Never around me Luna. I won't call you that and I don't let people call my friends names." Harry's voice was soft, but it carried conviction. Harry knew that if there was one thing for sure, he would never let this young girl suffered as she had in the previous timeline. He almost missed her muttering under her breath.

"Friends." She said the term with such reverence, Harry almost thought she was praying. She suddenly cleared her throat and turned back to him. "Yes, well it was actually a name I was given by that particular red-head. And now his mother has been trying to stop me from going to Hogwarts."

"And why would she do that?" Harry was sure it had to do with age, but he wanted to see what Luna said. He had already promised to be her friend, so he would support this even if she was too young.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I mean, I will be twelve on my next birthday. This is my year to start, but she seems insistent on stopping me. If I hadn't gotten to Daddy first, she might even have convinced him not to let me go until next year."

That brought Harry up short. Luna was older than him? She was just a few weeks younger than Hermione? Harry's thoughts flew back to the previous timeline. He had always just assumed Luna was younger than him, but had he ever actually asked. He had asked when her birthday was, but not the year. Her being in the year below him had led him to assume.

And if Luna had managed to get into the correct year this time, would that change things? Didn't that already change things? She was here rather than off at the Rookery for another year. What did this mean?

Harry was drawn from his thoughts as another party opened the door to enter. Harry had to fight a smile as two red-heads entered the compartment.

"Please excuse-"

"-our inexcusable excuse-"

"-of a brother."

"He can be a surly-"

"-git sometimes with absolutely-"

"-no tact whatsoever. But what can we say." The two stopped to look at one another before finishing in unison.

"He's our brother!"

"Now, as for us-" One red-head began.

"-Feel free to call me Fred-"

"-and me George-"

"-even if I am actually George-"

"-and I'm probably Fred." Another pause as the two studied one another.

"Or am I Gred-"

"-And I'm Forge?"

As the two stopped, Harry started to laugh. It had taken quite some time, but he had figured out the secret to telling these two apart. There were no identifying marks, no telltale signs, you just had to know. And Harry found he did. As he got himself back under control, Harry stood up and offered his hand to one of the twins.

"Pleasure to meet you Fred. "Turning to the other, offering the hand once more. "And you as well George."

The shock on their faces lasted for a second. Not long, but enough to catch Luna's attention which led her to laugh.

"I never thought anyone could tell you two apart!" She howled through her laughter. This brought grins back to everyone's faces. Turning to Luna, both twins bowed low.

"Well if it isn't the delightful-

"-Miss Lovegood herself."

"We are delighted-"

"-you were able to escape-"

"-our mothers clutches." This seemed to sober both up a bit.

"We love her and all."

"But she really is a bit to motherly to…everyone."

"If you know what we mean."

"Of course if our brother dearest ever tries anything on you again-"

"-you just give the two of us a nudge."

"We'll make sure the trouble maker finds trouble!" The two finished once more in unison before heading back out the door. Before the door could shut, yet another group was through. The younger Susan and Hannah were pretty easy for Harry to recognize. It was the last girl who caused his breath to hitch. Well, it did when his eyes met her grey eyes. It felt like it had with Luna. He had thought it was the shock of seeing Luna alive and more importantly on the train. This, however, was someone he did not know.

"Hi!" The ever bright and bubbly Susan Bones jumped up to meet everyone. "I'm Susan Bones." She paused as if waiting for someone to say something. When no one did, she turned her expectant gaze upon Hannah. There was an embarrassed sort of blush before Susan let out an amused sigh. "This is my best friend Hannah Abbot." They all paused while Hannah muttered her hello. Then Susan turned her attention to the other girl in the room. "And this is my new friend Anemy Yazzie. She is staying with my auntie and I while she attends Hogwarts."

Harry tried to process this new information. As he was thinking it over, he got lost in those grey eyes which seemed to be carefully considering him as well. Suddenly things clicked when Harry remembered all the details about his soul mates Ian had given him. As he reflected on this idea along with how he felt when his eyes met Anemy's. Add in his reaction to meeting Luna's eyes caused a look of shock to cross Harry's face.

Apparently someone else noticed as he heard a clearing of a throat from behind him.

"Oh, right. Sorry about that. This is my friend Luna." Harry could hear Luna trying to disguise her squeals of delight of being called his friend from behind him. Clearing his own throat, Harry tried to keep his voice from cracking as he had just realized two of his potential soul mates were in this very cabin.

"Pleasure to meet you Luna." Susan chimed in the pause, giving Luna a small smile of her own. It was plain to see both her aunt and a leader of the resistance in this young girl before him. Susan had been hardened by the fires of war after her aunt had died. Susan had aged from a teen to adulthood in a matter of minutes. It had changed her and in turn, it had changed the resistance. It was more than skill with a wand or politics which had led Amelia Bones to being not only the second ever female head of the DMLE, not to mention youngest ever. It was the things you couldn't track on paper. Susan was born of that talent and skill. And at moments like this, it showed.

"And I am Harry Potter." Harry decided it was better to rip the bandaid off. No toying or making them ask. He just went for it. To Harry's mild surprise, Susan and Hannah only briefly got those typical fan-girl looks in their eyes as their eyes flashed to his hairline before returning to him. The bigger surprise was the smile on Anemy's face which grew, even as her eyes did not leave his. He had a certain appreciation for those who could overlook something so simple.

"Well it is a pleasure, Mr. Potter."

"Harry, please." There was a momentary delay as Susan considered his request.

"As you wish Harry, but only if you call me Susan."

"And me Hannah!" was the chirp from the side. There was a quick round of grins as everyone agreed. As Susan and Hannah moved to leave the compartment, Anemy turned to them.

"I would like to stay here for a bit, if that is alright?" The end of her statement directed at Harry and Luna who both nodded their agreement. Susan traded a glance with Hannah, who shrugged, before nodding and telling Anemy they would be back in their original compartment when she wanted to come change.

"So Anemy, forgive me for a moment, but I need to thank Harry." At that odd statement, Harry had no time to react before Luna grabbed his face tightly in her small hands and brought her lips crashing down upon his. There was a gasp of shock as her body collapsed. Harry, coming to his senses, wrapped his arms around the falling girl and carefully lay her on the seat. Anemy, now with a look of shock on her face, was no more prepared than Harry for what came next.

Luna let loose with a scream which shook the seat she was on. Harry felt his heart race as her eyes shot open, searching desperately.


	4. Chapter 4: Hogwarts Express, Part II

Harry stared into Luna's eyes. They looked helpless. Lost. It was the look he had seen in them just before removing her from the hell hole that was Malfoy Manor. Gripping the small blond's shoulders, Harry gave a small shake and called to her.

"Luna!"

That was all it took. Silver eyes met Green. The tiny blond collapsed into his arms, crying desperately into his shoulder. Neither saw the look of concern and shock which crossed Anemy's face as she sat on the other side of their small compartment.

Harry just held on while Luna cried into his shoulder. He couldn't hear everything, but what he did hear made him wish he had not let her kiss him. Bringing back those terrible memories was something he wished had never happened. While he did not know the extent of her history, Harry knew it was terrible. The bright, if odd young woman he had come to expect from Luna was gone as they had arrived at Shell Cottage. Luna was never the same. She tried, but that experience broke the young witch in ways no one should ever experience. Harry had learned later it also left her infertile because of...certain experiences. It was part of why he had been quite thrilled to rid the world of the Malfoy spawn and 'lord' as they liked to fashion themselves.

With one small gasp, Luna collapsed back on the bed.

"What happened?"

Both heads snapped around to view Anemy. They had forgotten she was there in the moment. Harry got a look on his face as he thought things through. Turning his attention back to Luna, he saw she was still processing everything herself. Seems he was on his own in this. He turned back to face Anemy. Harry had made his decision.

"Anemy, I'm glad you are here. I would like very much for you to be both mine as well as Luna's friend. But in that, there is something very important about me you must understand." Harry paused, letting that idea sink in to the young witch sitting across from him now. She nodded very slowly.

"Anemy, strange things happen around me. Always have. And not in the typical witch or wizard discovering magic way. It goes far beyond that. And it will for a long time." Harry was still sitting next to Luna who was now clutching his hand like a life line, as if to let go would cast her back into the abyss. As they sat, waiting for her response, Aneyme studied them. And suddenly something clicked for her.

"You two are soul mates!" Anemy jumped up with her joyful accusational tone. Harry's jaw dropped. How could she know that? And that was all of the confirmation Anemy needed. And in that second, her own enthusiasm diminished. "Well that is unfortunate."

"Oh?" That statement had caught Harry off guard. He looked up to see Anemy with wet eyes. "Why is that?" Harry stood and looked at Anemy. It ended up being a good idea as the young woman collapsed and Harry had just enough time to catch her. What was with women collapsing around him today?

"Because, Harry Potter," Anemy choked through her sobs. "Because each soul mate gets one connection. I'm from the United States. My grandfather was the last true Shaman. While we do not know soul magic quite as well as others, we do know spirit magic. And my spirit was drawn to yours. I was sent to Hogwarts just for the purpose of finding you, Harry Potter. And I have already failed."

Just as Harry sat the young woman down, the door to the compartment burst open once more. Harry didn't need to look up to know who this was and Luna's flinch only confirmed it. Harry felt his heart begin to race. With his emotions moving beyond his control, Harry rose to face the blonde haired shite.

"Someone said Harry Potter is in this compartment." The sneer on the boy's face was reflected in his tone. You could almost see the disgust registering on the boy. Were he not merely 11-years-old, it might have been intimidating. Of course after facing down Voldemort, it would take a great deal more than the little blondie to really ruffle Harry's feathers.

That did not mean he liked the younger Malfoy or would let him get away with anything. Especially after seeing the fear in Luna's eyes. It wasn't this Draco, but it was still Draco and Lucius who put that fear there. Harry planned to repay that tenfold.

As Harry's eyes settled on Malfoy, He adopted his own sneer. What Snape and Malfoy never understood and Harry had only recently learned was that to produce a sneer as terrible as Voldemorts required hate. Not mere disgust, which was all Draco had. Not a lack of love like Snape knew. It took hate. Harry was not one to hate easily, but the look of terror in Luna's eyes was enough for Harry to place Draco in that small list reserved for the scum of the earth who would eventually feel the wrath of the family Potter.

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees, to the point the windows iced over. Not a slow subtle freezing, like as dementors neared, but froze over. A light wind began rumbling as Harry's magic pushed his cap. Harry had been capped for a reason, though he had not known it in his previous timeline. It was moments like this. With his feelings for Malfoy, an uncapped Harry even without magical training would have slaughtered the young boy. Even with the 6 years of formal education and a handful of years of war training, Harry could have ripped apart the entire train uncapped.

And as Malfoy looked at the glowing green eyes before him, he suddenly understood. Everyone always thought it was luck, or a mother's protection that saved Harry on that night.

No, that survival was pure and entirely the green eyed monster who now stood before him.

Harry began in a soft spoken voice, but the reactions echoed the idea of 'talk softly but carry a big stick.'

"Perhaps he is, but why would you want to know? Not that it matters. You crawl in here, demanding to know if someone is here, and in the process scare my friends." Harry gestured to Anemy and Luna. "I have a problem with that. Perhaps you should introduce yourself. That is generally the expected approach of a lower class, is it not?" Harry was running off the cuff right now, but anything which sounded obnoxious and drove Draco back would be good.

Draco did not like being considered a lower class, but the show of magic, controlled or not, was enough to cower the blond ponce for the moment.

"Draco Malfoy." He tried sneering again. "And you are?" Suddenly the magic dropped. You would think that would lead to friendlier terms, but as the compartment settled into a haunting silence, Harry's eyes got hard. This was the look that made him dangerous.

"Harry Potter. And if you even think of one of my friends in the wrong way again, I will end the Malfoy Line." A quick wandless Ligillimency pass gave Harry some additional information. "I will start by exposing that collection of muggle sex slaves your dad is trying to keep quiet by buying people off, and end with that massive collection of useless dark arts artifacts he hides beneath his study. Are we clear?"

This final line broke the camel's back, as it were. Malfoy knew there was no was anyone should know that. He even had been trained by his father in Occlumency. He had not felt anyone press on his shields. This was bad. And Malfoy did what was expected of the little blond coward.

He pissed his pants and fainted.

Harry turned to Crabbe and Goyle, indicating Malfoy.

"Get him out of here, but remember my warning."

As Harry turned back to sit down, he saw the looks on Anemy and Luna's faces. It was a look of pure horror. Harry felt his own spirit breaking as he saw those looks. The revulsion. It was a look he was far too familiar with, even so long separated from the experiences of Number 4 Privet Drive. With a sad chuckle, Harry stood for a moment as he reigned his magic back in.

"I…umm…well, I guess I should…" Harry stopped and let out a long sigh. With one last glance, he opened the door to step out when a hand caught his shoulder. Fighting his own tears, Harry turned to see silver and grey eyes staring at him.

"Harry." Luna began. "You…well, you and I have much to discuss later. I'm not sure whats going on, but we will talk about it. And like you said." Here she offered a typical Luna smile. "You're my friend. That means you don't get to run away when things get hard. And neither do we." Harry saw Anemy nod her head in agreement. It led a warm feeling into Harry's chest. One that lasted until he turned to close the door again and tumbled to the floor with yet someone else on top of him.

And as their eyes met this time, Green fell upon blue. Harry was lost in the eyes of the Ice Queen of Slytherin herself, Daphne Greengrass. In the previous timeline, she had become a terrible person. The Ice Queen persona continued as she joined the Inquisition squad in his fifth year and become a terror in her own right in sixth and seventh.

But then that moment with Ron, that scene from the Great Hall, it changed everything. Harry thought back. Daphne had been one of the last to join the squad. She never joined the torture. She was just brilliant, easily the smartest of her peers. In fact, Harry could only think of a few others in their year who were as smart as or smarter than her. And considering when it looked like the shut-out by Ron happened, it was just shortly before the alder Greengrass sister became so hostile. It made Harry wonder.

And when their eyes met and Harry felt that feeling which was now becoming all too familiar, he knew exactly why. And it hurt to know that. A laugh-like clearing of the throat from somewhere nearby brought them both back into focus. Daphne, hiding a light blush, rose in an elegant manner while Harry, letting out a huff, just jumped to his feet. Their avoiding the looks at one another brought various reactions from those now in the compartment. Harry noticed Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis. Tracey seemed to be ready to break out in raucous laughter at any moment while Blaise was definitely hiding a smile. Luna had a small grin on her own face, tempered with a look of worry. Harry had to remember she did not know everything. Anemy had a look of confusion on her face.

Tracey finally stepped forward, taking pity on the two.

"Pleasure to bump into you. My name is Tracey Davis, this lump behind me is Blaise Zabini, and you have already met the charmingly clumsy Daphne Greengrass." This earned the brunette a smack on the shoulder from the now thoroughly blushing blonde, causing a round of laughter amongst everyone. Harry had apparently become the spokesperson for his small group, so he stepped forward. He made a big show of bowing to accept their introductions, shaking Blaise's hand while kissing the back of both Tracey's and Daphne's. This elicited an amused chuckle from Tracey while it caused Daphne's blush to worsen, though it did get her to smile.

"Well it is my pleasure to introduce Luna Lovegood and Miss Anemy Yazzie from the United States. As for myself, being gifted with two left feet seems to happen to me when around beautiful women." Harry paused as Daphne's blush deepened. He found himself enjoying causing that reaction. "And my name is Harry Potter." The reactions were severe, but the three managed to hold themselves back. Daphne was still blushing too hard to even look at him while Tracey seemed to smile slightly at that. Blaise was the most extreme if only because his eyes did actually move, if only for a fraction of a second.

"What can I do for you three?" All three faces immediately hid their smiles and laughter. Here Blaise stepped forward.

"We owe you a thank you, Mr. Potter."

"Harry, please."

"Then it is Blaise."

"And Tracey." Harry nodded his acceptance.

"Call me Daphne." As her blush had finally receded, Harry decided to play it up again. He stepped forward once again to offer her the crooked trademark Potter grin.

"I am not sure any title beyond beautiful would do you justice, though I have little doubt brilliant could fit just as well. Daphne it is." And the blush was back in full force. Tracey was once more trying to stifle giggles while Blaise just grinned. Blaise continued.

"I'm going to like you, Harry. Though I may pretend otherwise depending on the sorting." Harry acknowledged this statement about politics of the houses with a nod as his face became serious. "That said, we owe you a thank you for putting that blonde ponce in his place. I have very little doubt he shall end up in Slytherin with us. Your actions, as witnessed by us and a few others, will easily keep him from gaining the power he seems to think he is owed."

"Well, my pleasure to be of assistance."

"I shall take my leave." Blaise turned to head out the door. Tracey soon joined him. As they exited, Tracey stopped, noting that Daphne had not yet moved. She turned back and called to the blond.

"Daphne?"

There was a tense moment. Daphne stared at Harry a bit longer before turning away. "Coming." And her ice mask was back in place. A slight tension settled back into the room. It was Anemy who broke it.

"So….another soul mate, Mr. Potter?"

Harry barely had time to nod before once more, the door was opened. A young girl with dirty blonde hair flounced in with two young witches of Indian decent behind her and one of Asian. Chinese if Harry had to guess. Ok, he knew, seeing as he knew all four of them. Unfortunately for Harry, as he spun out of the way of Lavender making her way into the cabin, he ran into Parvati…or was it Padma? He wasn't really sure.

Well, he was not sure until Green eyes locked with Brown as the two settled on the ground, Harry once more cushioning the blow of yet another falling witch.

Parvati and Padma had been very kind and understanding, considering how Harry and Ron had treated them on their dates to the Yule Ball. Oddly enough, both forgave Harry for his actions rather quickly. They did hold it against him for a bit that he set one of them up with Ron Weasley of all people, but eventually they even let that go. The two had been adamant at training with the DA and become one of the most powerful tandem teams. That was until Parvati was killed. With her gone, Padma lost the will to fight. No one else was nearly as good at covering her back as Parvati. Padma had become a shell of herself and that had cost her early on in the battle for Hogwarts. It was a gasp of shock from Parvati which drew their attention apart.

"No! It can't be!" All eyes turned to the other twin sister not currently entangled with the Boy-Who-Lived on the ground. Lavender reached out to the seemingly distraught teen. Parvati stared a moment longer before her eyes met her sisters. In that way Twins do, they had a silent conversation before Parvati's glare lessened and she smiled. "Ok, but only if you're sure." She muttered to her sister. Harry just happened to be close enough to her.

"Someone want to tell me what the hell just happened?" Su Li, still stuck in the doorway, did not seem pleased. It was Parvati who spoke again as Harry and Padma climbed to their feet. Luna was still looking like a bit of a lost puppy, though there was a smile on her face. Anemy's shock had grown, while Lavender and Su both watched Parvati with expressions demanding explainations.

"Yes, well, alright. Give me a moment. Padma? May I?" Padma looked over at her sister. She had once more been lost staring at this small, frail looking boy. He seemed unable to care for himself, but those eyes held something more. She knew what this was though, and it entranced her. She nodded to her sister affirmatively.

"Wonderful. Ok, well you two know how our Great-Grandfather was a Guru?" At their nods she continued. "Well, Gurus specialize in soul magic. In particular, they can sense soul magic. Did you know each person has a soul mate? Well, technically, each person has more than one. Typically two and one very VERY rare occasions, a third. It is also uncommon for people to find their soul mate, but when they do, should they come together, they will wield more power. My sister seems to have just found her soul mate." Parvati said the last line in a huff before sitting on a seat. At the odd explanation, Lavender decided it was time to be exciting again.

"Yes, anyway. Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I'm Lavender Brown. Beside me, rather upset about her sister's new beau," Lavender teased, getting another huff and smile from Parvati. "Is Parvati Patil. You seem to be rather connected to her sister, Padma already. And the final member of my ever growing entourage is one Su Li." As Lavender finished her introductions, she turned expectantly to the rest of the cabins inhabitants. Harry smiled to himself. Lavender had always been this energetic and flamboyant. She was exciting and wanted everyone else around her to be as well. It made her a bit of a spitfire when it came to fights. She could tear a werewolf to shreds and then throw a hissy fit that she got a speck of blood on her wand. He had to give it to her though, she was good.

Harry, once more the mediator, began his introductions.

"Please meet Miss Luna Lovegood, as well as Anemy Yazzie from the United States. I am Harry Potter.

The shock that followed was only interrupted by a frustrated sigh from Anemy.

"What I want to know is how you have four-"

She was cut off by the door opening once more. As Green met a Chocolately hazel, Harry's world stopped. There she was. His world. He hadn't realized it until that moment. The caring and love pouring forth from him. His energy. His best friend. Both had glazed grins until Anemy's voice broke through once more with an incredulous question.

"FIVE!?"


	5. Chapter 5: Hogwarts Express Part III

Anemy's voice broke the tension. Hermione's slight grin broke down as her face settled into a frown. That was all it took to truly break Harry. Here was the love, or at least one of the loves of his life, and she had a look that he had not been on the receiving end of for quite some time. One he had hoped to never see again. That look was reserved for Draco, Voldemort, and Ron when he abandoned them.

And Harry felt his heart shatter.

But her curiosity got the better. She turned to Anemy who had witnessed the interplay, including both the look of pure elation and complete terror on Harry's face. Hermione began.

"Five what?" Anemy looked toward Harry, as if waiting for his approval. Suddenly, he looked as small and broken as his body appeared. The change was so sudden and so complete that even if she couldn't have him, she wanted desperately to help him. She turned her attention back to the bushy-haired one.

"Umm, well, you see Miss…?"

"Granger. Hermione Granger. And you?" The business attitude she took toward knowledge made Harry grin, even if it did not last. Considering where he had been previously, this change caught everyone off guard. The small boy now sitting amongst the room was broken from his trance by a soft hooting. Harry reached over, unable to raise his head and removed his robes. With tears pooling in his own eyes, Harry carefully let her out of the cage. As the snowy owl, who had all the girls attention and oohing and aahing, moved to his arm, Harry stood. With as much control as he could possibly manage, Harry croaked out.

"Umm, if you all will excuse me, I need to take a few minutes to myself." Harry escaped the room as quickly as possible. Hermione felt herself tense at the looks the other witches gave her.

"What?" The poor witch stumbled out. She didn't want to make enemies just yet, but somehow she was managing it. At least that one red-headed boy had been nice to her.

Anemy seemed to understand.

"Hermione, my name is Anemy Yazzie. I'm from the United States. This is Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, Padma and Parvati Patil, and Su Li. That young man who just left, his name is Harry Potter." Anemy ignored the gasp from the bushy haired witch. "Apparently, there is much we need to explain, though some of it is confusing to myself. Perhaps an expert on souls could lay the groundwork better?" Anemy gestured toward the Patil sisters. After sharing a glance between them, Parvati began.

"Hermione, everyone has soul mates. Generally, two in case you don't meet one another. Greater chance to meet that way. But still, should they meet, they raise one another's powers. On very rare instances, a person can have a third." Parvati paused at a snort of laughter from Hermione.

"Soul mates? Really?" Parvati's eyes hardened at the other young witch.

"Yes, soul mates. Did you not recently discover magic? Who says soul mates cannot exist?" Parvati went for broke, hoping Hermione was a first generation witch. As the witch's eyes opened wider in realization, Parvati turned to Anemy. "But what exactly did you mean by five?"

"Well, several of us have something in common…we, umm, may be soul mates of Mr. Potter." Here, Anemy indicated Luna, Padma, Hermione, and herself. "And Miss Greengrass as well. Not that it really matters now." She muttered the last line. Padma heard her though. She turned a terrified look to meet Anemy's eyes, who indicated Luna. Padma slumped in defeat.

Parvati continued her tale.

"Usually, when soul mates meet, they know somehow. Of course five is obnoxious, as you can only bond to one. Then again, we have also been told it is impossible to get more than three soul mates." Parvati's casual observation brought both Padma and Anemy up short. The two, who had begun to mope, sat up straight.

"But what does this have to do with Mr. Potter's attitude?" Hermione asked. There was a bit of steel in her voice when she said Harry's name. Parvati, who liked Harry even if he was taking her sister, stepped in to defend him.

"Harry," She stated in contrast to Hermione's pronouncement, "needs to see his soul mates. To be flat out rejected would hurt. Then again, he did have an overreaction to you rejecting him."

"Well what else would you expect from a jerk like that?" Hermione's question brought everyone up short. Lavender was the one to break the awkward silence this time.

"What do you mean, Hermione?"

"Well, I was out trying to help Neville find his pet toad, trevor. The thing hopped away from the poor boy, so we were working up and down the train. Most people were really rude, but this one really nice boy offered to help us. Told us how rude Mr. Potter had been about sharing his compartment. How can you do that when you don't even know someone? Ron said-"

"Ron?" Several voices jumped in. There was a look of chock on Hermione's face until Luna started laughing. Anemy was bemused. After she had claimed Harry, this was the most active she had seen the young blond.

"Hermione, poor Mr. Weasley was the one who started that. He entered our compartment and the first thing he did was lie to Harry. After that, he attempted to make fun of me and Harry stopped him. At that point, Harry asked him if he would not mind finding another compartment." Luna knew she was stretching things a bit, but for Harry, she would. Especially if it meant getting Hermione on his side. She had no clue what was going on, but she knew Harry needed Hermione. More than that, she knew, based on his reaction to her reaction, the rest of them would need her as well. Harry would simply shut down and Luna knew, with her knowledge of the future, that Harry shutting down would ruin not only her life, but the lives of every single member of the British Magical community.

"Oh." Hermione said in a soft voice. She had done exactly what Ron had accused Harry of. Seeing the looks on the other faces surrounding her, Hermione felt tears welling up in her own eyes. She was so desperate to make friends that she latched on to the first one she found and it seemed to already be costing her. A hand reaching over from her other side to grab her wrist caught her attention. She turned to see two large silver globes focused on her.

"He is sitting at the back of the train, if you want to go talk to him." Luna knew where Harry would go for escape. She was the one who had shown it to him in the first place. She also knew that as much as she wanted Harry back to make her feel safe, he needed Hermione right now.

Hermione hesitated. She had already ruined her first meeting. What else could she really do here but make things worse? It was her previous schooling experiences all over again. But the look in Luna's eyes was not a question. It seemed to be a demand. She needed to go talk to Harry now and something inside of her said is better be sooner rather than later.

With a look of determination, she stood and left the compartment, seeking out Harry.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Anemy voiced from across from Luna. Finally allowing a smile to grace her face again, Luna smiled back serenely.

"I am sure that was the wisest."

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

Harry slumped down and let his legs dangle over the back of the train. Watching Hermione die had been painful. Dying itself had been nearly as bad. That look she gave him, though, that was even worse. A Hermione who hated him would shatter his world.

Harry really didn't need much. True, he had been granted a great deal. Fame and fortune came in waves in the wizarding world. But the cost had been his family, with his parents dying, Remus trying to keep him safe by staying away, and Sirius getting caught. Then Sirius and Remus had both died. While it hurt like hell, he had survived. He had even survived Ron's death.

But Hermione's…

It did not bear to think about. He had caused his own death over Hermione's. And even that terrible nugget of knowledge was not nearly as awful as having her hate him.

Harry felt a small nip at his ear and looked over to see a concerned looking Hedwig. He smiled. She knew him so well, even this early on. Harry had cried when he realized she was alive again. This gorgeous White Owl and Hermione. None of the rest mattered.

Ok, that wasn't entirely true. He did care for his soul mates. He would do everything he could to ensure they survived and enjoyed long lives.

But right that moment, for Harry, all that mattered was Hedwig and Hermione.

And Hermione didn't seem to want anything to do with him.

Harry was brought out of his personal musings when he heard someone clear her voice from behind him. He knew that clearing. It struck him as funny that Harry knew Hermione so well he could identify her by her clearing her throat, but it took death to prove to him that he was in love with the woman. Slowly, not sure he could stand another rejection, Harry turned to face his love.

And there were tears in her eyes. Harry couldn't stand it. In an instant he was on his feet and wrapped her in a hug. Hermione was shocked at this reaction, but it broke loose the feelings she was having which she could not explain. As such, her words erupted from her, clashing terribly with her tears.

"I'm so sorry Harry, I didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry. I made a mistake. Can you ever forgive me? Could we start again? I'm not very good at this. I'm-"

Harry went for broke and silenced her the only way he knew how. It would either be for the best or it would end horribly.

With Harry, you never really did know.

He crashed his lips to hers, pressing all his seven years of pent up emotion into that one single kiss, desperately trying to show him how he felt. How horribly he needed her. He was acting in a way he knew no eleven-year-old should ever react, but he needed Hermione.

He only hoped it worked.

After a few seconds, Harry pulled back. Hermione's eyes were shut tight, but he could see tears forcing their way out. He held his breath as those warm chocolate eyes opened to face him. As she erupted, Harry let out tears.

"Harry James Potter!"

They were tears of joy.

"Don't you ever…wait, did you just kiss me?"

Harry couldn't help it. He laughed. He had needed her and it seemed like she was indeed back. As Hermione smacked his arm, Harry closed in and kissed her soundly once more.

"Yes I did indeed Hermione. It is something I should have done a long time ago. And something I should have told you long ago, 'Mione. I love you. I have been in love with you for a very long time."

"Yes, well then. Umm…" Hermione tripped over her words. She was Ron's girlfriend just a few minutes ago and now here was an eleven-year-old Harry kissing her and telling her he loved her. "Just what is going on?"

So the two settled down. It took Harry nearly an hour to explain Ian and his experience. It didn't take long to convince her, considering her own memories. And being Hermione, she instantly decided upon a plan of action.

"Well, as much as I don't want to share you, we obviously need everyone else to get their memories back sooner rather than later."

"We do?" Harry had not considered that. A Padma getting her memories back in a few years or Daphne could be very bad. Just waiting that long while He, Hermione, and Luna changed the timeline could not be good either. It made sense.

"Well of course we do. The question is how. Hmmm. Well considering I made a right fool of myself and those other women think I need to be fixing this soul mate issue, maybe we play up that. We go back in and ask if we can speak to the other soul mates to figure some things out."

"But we would still need to get Daphne and I don't think she has any idea of what is going on."

"No, you're right. Well, you said you have already kissed Luna. Let's start with Padma and Anemy."

Harry was not too sure about this plan. It didn't really seem to fit with what he knew of the plans Fate and Chance had lain out. But then again, this was Hermione. Plans were her forte. His was action and adaptation. So if she said go with it, he went with it.

A few minutes had them back in the cabin. Everyone looked up expectantly. With a quick smile, Hermione gave him a small hug. Some part of Harry's brain barely registered that it was not a typical over enthusiastic Hermione hug.

"All better."

"Really?" Luna's silver eyes met Hermione's.

"Really." So much information passed in that one single word. Luna just nodded in response. "We were actually hoping to speak to Luna, Padma, and Anemy alone for a few minutes." There was a tense pause before Parvati nodded to the others.

"Ok, we'll be back in our original car." When Padma nodded in response, the other three left. There was a tense silence. Finally, Anemy broke it.

"Should we go get Daphne?"

Hermione merely shook her head. She suddenly found herself unable to talk. Visions of death revisited her. Her friends. Her parents. Her parents were her parents again! And then there was Ron, but there was more going on and apparently Ron was a set up and had been doing awful things. And Harry…Harry said he loved her. That though made Hermione smile.

Luna saw the far off look in Hermione's face, but Anemy and Padma caught it as well. To say they were shocked was putting things simply.

"But how?" Anemy's voice came out, short and stuttered. Luna just grinned.

"Well, Harry did warn you that things were weird around him. I dare you to kiss him. See what happens." Anemy looked unsure. Padma sitting next to her was still processing all she was seeing, but that suggestion caught her attention. Generally, Padma was the introvert. Process, then respond, all done quietly. Parvati was the risk taker. But what could it hurt. She had already felt it. She knew she wanted to be near Harry. Could kissing him really hurt that much?

Before she could react to her own thoughts, Padma moved almost on instinct. She grasped a slightly confused Harry by his shirt and brought their lips together. It was short, but powerful.

And it was enough. As soon as the two parted, Harry gasped. "Wow."

Padma responded in kind with her own smile. Anemy decided based on the look in Padma's eyes and seeing the reaction to take her own risk and soon followed up, unsure of just what would happen. Had she waited a second longer, she would have seen Padma's reaction as her memories came crashing down on her. Anemy missed Padma's thoughts returning to the death of her sister.

Instead, Anemy enjoyed her own wonder filled kiss with Harry.

Then her memories crashed back down. Her parents being hunted because of her grandfather. As the last true Shaman, Voldemort had sent his minions to remove this possible threat to his power. Shaman magic could withstand Voldemort's control over his beasts, and that possible loophole was unacceptable. Anemy had been in her bedroom when Voldemort's troops had killed her parents. She had rushed from the house to find the dead body of her grandfather being dragged along with these monsters as well. In a span of a few seconds, her life became hell. She had tried to fight, to get her revenge, but it had failed. It failed spectacularly as she was slain by seven killing curses at once.

Harry sat down hard. Four sudden soul bonds were a heavy burden to bear. A soul bond was the connection of a soul. As he had learned during his death, to toy with a soul could be painful. Stretching it like this, well that would take some getting used to.

And then fate intervened.

Daphne returned. It had been bugging her since she left the compartment with the green-eyed boy. There was something about him. Never in her life had anyone, just by looking at her, had that kind of impact. Perhaps it was magic. Perhaps it was more.

She was going to take a chance.

So Daphne Greengrass marched back to the compartment and opened the door. She saw four solemn looking witches and a tired looking Harry Potter. She did not really have time to dwell as she needed to get this out before her good sense returned. She faced the boy, sitting nearest the door.

"Harry, please forgive me if this is wrong."

With that, she leaned in and kissed him. It felt sweet, kind, and cool. It was a lovely thing. She shut her eyes to enjoy the sensation.

But the blue eyes which opened after having been closed were hard. They were the eyes of a woman scorned, driven to do terrible things which haunted her.

And she saw she was kissing the exact same one who had scorned her. Knowing it was her own fault, but not knowing what else to do, she pulled back suddenly and slapped Potter for all her eleven-year-old body was worth.

Harry snapped back to his senses after being kissed by Daphne. A slap was certainly not what he expected.

As she stormed off, Harry couldn't help it. He was upset. Ian had said Chance's game was to find his soul mates. Surely he had just won?

Why didn't it feel that way?

Harry looked at the other women surrounding him, all with their previous memories as the train slowed to its final stop. As he looked in each pair of eyes, he realized something.

He had, with a single kiss, managed to turn these five, wonderful, sweet young witches into five battle mistresses who had seen the terrors of war in one way or another. He had ripped away their innocence and each would be dealing with that in their own awful way.

He saw the horrors of Malfoy Manor in Luna's Silver Eyes.

He saw her sister's death in Padma's Brown Orbs.

Anemy's grey globes glistened with unshed tears for her fallen family.

Hermione, her memories finally catching up to her, felt the torture of Bellatrix, wiping her parents memories, and the death of their friends all over again, showing by the tears quietly falling from her chocolate eyes.

Just what had he done…


	6. Chapter 6: The Sorting

Harry stood, trying to steel himself. He faced the women before him, each seeming to have their own internal battles at that moment. Before he could say anything, Padma fled. She was followed shortly by Anemy. Hermione managed to give him a sad smile before she followed them. It was just him and Luna.

"Luna?" Harry's voice cracked as he spoke. The tear filled silver eyes met his heart-broken green ones at his realization. She rose and gently moved to him.

"Harry, none of it was your fault." She stopped for a moment considering her words. "None was your fault, but it still happened. We each need to deal with it. Just be there when we need you." With that, the blond waif of a girl slipped past Harry. Gone was the confidence of a man who had led a battle against the darkest wizard Britain had seen since Morgan Le Fey and her children. Gone was the strong person he had projected, even as he entered the train.

In its place was a broke young man, realizing the pain he had just rent upon those young women. He was already attached to them. He loved each and every one of them on some level.

He just hoped they could forgive him. No matter what Luna said, he was the one who had signed the contract.

As Harry made his way off the train, he could hear Hagrid calling for first years. It was with an empty heart that Harry made his way down there. Along the way he did notice a rather clingy Padma attached to her confused sister. Padma's eyes were suspiciously shiny, but she did manage to grin at Harry. She detached herself just long enough to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"You did manage to give her back to me." Was her response to the question in his eyes.

Next he came across Anemy once more near Susan and Hannah. She offered him a genuinely happy smile before returning to her conversation with them. Harry felt his spirits attempting to lift. Crossing paths with Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise was the next big hurdle. When the latter two offered him a smile, he waived. Daphne tried to grimace at him, but he felt an odd sense of contentment behind her burgeoning smile. It wasn't happiness, but it was better than the anger he had felt at first. It would take time, but Harry didn't feel as if he could not win.

Finally, Harry came to Hermione, waiting patiently for him with Luna and a scared looking Neville. The smile on her face, no longer sad, just strained, helped him overcome the hump he had reached. Luna's grin which grew as he drew near helped as well. As he got there, Hermione leaned in conspiratorially.

"Don't' stress over the others. It will take time. But for me, you've given me back my best friend and my parents. I have no earthly idea what incredible magic you will manage next, Mr. Potter, but I plan on being right next to you to find out." She finished with a wink. As she pulled back, Luna leaned in next.

"I was right. And I realized something as I was walking down here. All that damage that Lucius and his ilk did to me? Never happened. You and I are going to make very pretty babies one day Harry. Not for a long time. I still have a lot to work through and you have a lot of work to do, but one day? It will happen."

Their quiet whispers grabbed Neville's attention. He looked lost as both girls seemed to gravitate toward Harry. Remembering the Neville from just a few days ago in Harry and Hermione's time, Harry leaned toward the chubby lad.

"Not really sure what all their whispering about, but want to ride in a boat with us Neville? I could really use a guy friend." Harry's crooked grin accompanied his query and Neville let out a nervous laugh.

"No idea either mate, but that is girls for you. Not sure why you would want a squib like me as a mate, but I'm in."

Harry frowned. He had forgotten that Neville thought so little of himself. It really wasn't until the DA and fifth year that any of those thoughts really changed. He would have to put more into changing that sooner this go round. Harry offered the young man a genuine smile.

"Neville, mate? No one is allowed to call my father's godson a squib, not even the oy himself. Got that?" The grin took any sting out of the words, but Harry still saw the want from Neville to contradict him. So he pushed on. "Neville, will you be my friend? As we were supposed to grow up as?" He stretched his hand out. It took another moment as Harry's words settled into Neville's brain. The honest grin which settled onto the face of the young man was more than worth the wait.

"I'd be honored mate." They shook hands heartily. It only took a moment for the moment to shatter. As Hagrid directed everyone into boats, Ron once more made a push, trying to get either Neville or Luna out of the way so he could shove in with Harry and Hermione.

"Slide over, Neville, Loony, you two don't mind letting me share with my mates, do you?"

The air grew tense as Harry's eyes glowed, literally glowed in the night. The lanterns seemed dim as his eyes grew brighter and Ron started to slowly try to hide behind Hermione. She was having none of that and quickly grabbed both Luna and Neville and grabbed the nearest boat. Harry's glowing glare lasted just long enough for him to join them. He heard Ron mutter under his breath as he joined Dean and Seamus in a boat

"Can you believe the Boy-Who-Lived would rather be friends with squibs and Loony than me?" Ron missed the looks of loathing the other two boys were giving him. He also missed the guffaw from Padma and Parvati's boat which was not well hidden or the snicker's which were better balanced from both Tracey and Susan's boats, though who exactly it was would be a bit more difficult to determine.

As the boats began to make their way across the lake, the entire group gasped at the sight of Hogwarts from the lake. Harry felt his breath hitch just like everyone elses'. Feeling similar reactions from both Hermione and Luna, Harry knew this was a sight to behold. Then the conversation turned to houses.

"Wonder where I'll end up."

"Got to be Slytherin. Mum and Dad both were there."

"I just hope it's not Hufflepuff. Could you imagine?"

"Whats wrong with Hufflepuff?" Harry almost laughed as he heard Susan's voice call out to the nameless voice. At a slight trembling call, Harry turned back to face Neville.

"How do you think they'll decide where we go? Anything too dangerous? Think we'll have to face a troll?" Neville seemed to tremble at the thought.

Harry considered for a moment. How best to build Neville's confidence? Then he had a thought.

"Long as it is nothing too dangerous. Could you imagine facing Devil's Snare? That would scare the life out of me." Hermione quickly caught on and added her own stance with a shiver.

"No doubt. I could handle most monsters. Those things aren't nearly as scary as the plants."

Neville looked on dumbfounded. Here were two of the bravest first years he had met so far and both thought plants were scarier? Maybe things wouldn't be too bad then…

"No, probably something silly like wear a ratty old hat." Luna decided to play up the seer idea. Harry was hard pressed to hide his laughter while Hermione looked horrified.

The boats settled into the cove by the school and Hagrid led them up to the anteroom. There, after a knock, entered Professor Minerva McGongall. Seeing the proud Scot brought tears to the soul mates. She offered her traditional, 'Your House is your Family' speech before leaving them. After the ghosts passed through, Malfoy made his move, apparently attempting to regain his dominant position. Harry, with Neville, Luna, and Hermione beside him as well as Anemy and Padma nearby ignored the offered hand and idea of meeting the right kind of people.

"Figures, Gryffindors talk big but don't back it up." This caused Ron to jump up.

"Better than being a Snake. Slithery, slimy, shit." As Harry, becoming annoyed, moved to interrupt, Hermione left a hand on his wrist to stop him. She whispered something to Luna, waiting for a smile and a nod, before stepping forward.

"Boys, does it really matter?"

"YES!" Both responded.

"Fine. We already know you both got chased off with your tails between your legs from the only real wizard in that particular compartment today, so obviously neither of you are brave or cunning. It would also require smarts to know not to go there and conviction of values, which is what Hufflepuff really stands for as opposed to this odd idea of loyalty, is apparently something neither of you are well acquainted with. I suppose that rules you out of a house. You know that has been known to happen?" At this pronouncement, all eyes turned to Hermione, Harry's included. She went on, confirming, or at least seeming to confirm, this elaborate ruse. "I read it in Hogwarts, A History. There have been exactly five instances in the history of Hogwarts. Never more than once every two centuries. You two will be the first time and in the same year. Imagine the story!"

Before anyone could respond or ask any questions, the doors swung open and McGongall began ushering them inside. As she neared him, Harry leaned in to whisper to Hermione.

"You know, we are apparently reading different versions of Hogwarts, A History. I don't remember ever hearing about a student not getting into at least one house."

The grin she responded with was all he needed to see that Hermione was playing a practical joke. How she was going to manage it, he did not know.

And thus the sorting began, once again with Abbot, Hannah going to Hufflepuff. She was joined by Bones, Susan. Daphne went to Slytherin and Hermione returned to Gryffindor. When Lovegood, Luna came up, the sorting took some time. 17 minutes to be exact. It was the longest sorting Harry had ever heard of. His own, routinely recognized as the longest the Headmaster had ever seen, took only ten minutes.

But in the end, the decision was even more surprising. Lovegood, Luna joined Gryffindor.

It was a shocked smile Harry offered as Luna skipped past him to join the Lions. She joined an equally shocked Hermione before whispering in her ear. The bushy haired witch nodded in reply before turning back to watch the rest.

The next interesting point came as Malfoy sat. Harry recalled where last time the hat didn't even need to actually sit on his head to place him in Slytherin. Therefore, it was far more interesting to watch the hat sit on the slicked back scalp of the blond ponce. When the hat spoke, it was even more shocking.

"Alas, this has not happened recently, but I have found a student who fits none of our houses. No particular talents to speak of. No real conviction. Ah well, I shall have to put you somewhere as students need a house. Better be…Gryffindor!"

Harry nearly choked on his own tongue trying to hold in the laughter. It would be annoying, but for the looks on Malfoy's, Snape's, and Dumbledore's faces, Harry would suffer through it. How on earth this had happened, Harry had no idea.

Until he saw the grin on Luna's face. That was not her happy grin. That was not her "I'm crazy Luna" grin. That was a patented, 'I just got away with it' grin. And it was perfect. Harry watched Padma go once more to Ravenclaw. Then it came.

"Potter, Harry." The room stilled. Harry frowned. He had forgotten how ridiculous everyone had been about this moment. His sorting. Like some god incarnate as everyone stared and tried to move closer. Bah. Harry slowly stalked forward and sat so that Professor McGongall could place the hat upon his head.

 _Ah, Mr. Potter. Welcome. Or rather, Welcome back it seems. Thankfully you are not alone in this. Ms Lovegood has guaranteed me that you all will seek my freedom?_

" _Freedom?"_

 _Well of course. You don't think a hat as smart as I does this for fun, do you? Really, a talking hat which can read people's minds? Sitting around all year long just for this one moment?_

" _Er, well, honestly, yes. Or at least I did until just now."_

 _Hmph. Well, I suppose considering it has been all you've seen of me that is fair. No, I was supposed to be granted time elsewhere and simply return to sort the students. I was a close friend of the founders like that. Not their creation as everyone is want to believe. But alas, a more…recent…part of the Hogwarts legacy has managed to bind me. As such, I am generally locked to him, if you catch my drift…_

" _Well, I supposed that Dumbledore has worn out his welcome with you, Mr. Hat?"_

 _Quite. And do call me by my name, if you will? I was known in olden times by the title of Ogma. Such disrespect to be tied to that despicable man. Uses me to read children's minds. Thankfully I have managed to fight him off this year. Or distract him, really._

" _Very well, we shall free you somehow. As for my house?"_

 _Hmmm? Of, of course. For this go round, let's keep things the same, shall we? GRYFFINDOR!_

Harry felt the hat being lifted from his head at that shout and moved over to join the Scarlet and Gold table. He noticed that Malfoy was sitting as far from everyone as he could. Ignoring the blond shite, Harry settled down between Hermione and Luna. As he did, he received a quick hug from each, if Luna's was hesitant.

Soon after Harry was sorted, came the call of Weasley, Ronald. No one seemed to really pay attention, assuming that yet another red-head would be joining the lions. Therefore, it was a shock when the hat, once more, began talking.

"Really? Two in one year? Let alone one century? We really are making history, headmaster. Alas, with no other real options, this excuse for a Hogwarts student will have to go to Slytherin!"

The applause did not come. There was no rejoicing. As the tables seemed lost with a Malfoy in Gryffindor, they seemed as unsure of a Weasley in Slytherin. Harry felt Luna lean against him to hide her laughter and Hermione do the same. Dumbledore seemed the most lost.

"Umm, well, yes. Perhaps you misjudged, Mr. Hat." Harry could almost hear the anger in Ogma's response.

"Not at all Headmaster. I am, after all, the expert in these subjects. Perhaps you should accept that I have made my decision?"

As Ron turned pale, the hat was removed from his head. He had become that which he hated. Somehow, as his clothing turned to match to match the green and silver, he knew something was wrong. He could think of only one issue, however, and screamed it to the white bearded man at the head table.

"You promised me Headmaster! You said all I had to say was-" Ron was quickly cut off by a silencing spell from Dumbledore. The aged headmaster turned away from the furious eleven-year-old to face his head of Slytherin house who seemed just as upset.

"Severus, perhaps you could help young Mr. Weasley find a seat so we can move on with the sorting?"

It took some time, but Snape finally, and unceremoniously, removed Ron from the hall so he could deal with his newest student. In the meantime, McGongall, Flitwick, Sprout, and Dumbledore got the Great Hall back under control in order to continue the sorting. As Yazzie, Anemy joined Hufflepuff and Zabini, Blaise went to Slytherin, the sorting ended. There were the same odd collection of words from Dumbledore before the food appeared. Harry avoided looking to the head table, already knowing what he would see. He wished to avoid having his mind read by Dumbledore or Snape, should he return, and seeing Quirrel again would just be bad for everyone. Harry needed to remove that obstacle sooner rather than later.

Once the meal had ended and Dumbledore's original warnings that really sounded more like a challenge had been offered, the prefects moved to collect the students. As they did so, Harry chanced a glance at the head table. Dumbledore sat there watching him rather intently and Harry instantly knew he would be having a visit to the old man's office soon. Probably tomorrow after Ron informed him about the train ride. That meant he needed desperately to do some planning.

Of course sneaking out to speak with Padma, Anemy, or possibly Daphne was not truly possible right then. He had neither his cloak nor the Marauder's Map just yet. It would be a few more months until the cloak was in his possession again and the Map, well he couldn't really take that from the twins. So for this one, he would have to settle for Hermione.

And Luna!

She was a Gryffindor this time. And in his year! Harry suddenly found himself rather excited about the journey to the tower which had been his first true home. There were opportunities here. Chances he was thrilled to have.

As they arrived, Harry quickly pulled the two aside following the regular welcome speech from the prefects. Mentioning his suspicions of his visit with the headmaster and the first day of classes coming soon, the three began their plan. They were convoluted (courtesy of Luna) and thorough (courtesy of Hermione), but Harry had no doubt they would work. As it got late, the three finally agreed it was time for them to grab some shut eye. They moved toward the dormitory stairs. When they reached them, Luna said goodnight first. She hesitantly leaned in and gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek. Harry felt himself blush and said his goodnights before the blond girl skipped up the stairs. That left him and Hermione.

"So…"

"So…"

After a pregnant pause passed between them, Hermione let out a frustrated sigh.

"This is ridiculous. Harry, just recently we were living together in a tent travelling across Britain. Just a few hours ago, somehow, we died and came back to our first year of Hogwarts. And the first thing I remember after I died…"

Harry could see the tears forming in her eyes. He did the only thing he could. Harry reached out and drew the now trembling bushy haired brunette into his arms. After a few minutes, she calmed.

"After I died, the first thing I remember is kissing you as you said you loved me. And That is a big thing. Just before then, I was sure I loved Ron."

As she looked down, her hands splayed on his chest, Harry was not sure what she was going to say next, if anything. When she looked back up, there were tears in her eyes.

"Now, I know I was wrong. It was not Ron I loved. It never was." She leaned in and gently kissed his lips. It was soft and gently, but there was a passion and a love that no eleven-year-old should know.

"It was always you Harry. I love you my sweet prince. Goodnight!"

With that, Harry stood rooted to the spot as she disappeared up the girls' dormitory.

That thought alone, her love for him, that idea was enough to get him up into the boys' dormitory and into bed. It got him past Malfoy's sneering and teasing. It got him past the odd looks from Dean and Seamus. It swept him right past Neville's smile.

And it led him to a dream finally realized.

He loved Hermione.


	7. Chapter 7: Not Even Past Breakfast

Harry stretched as he awoke. With Wizards being so against muggle technology most of the time, he still found it odd that many used traditional mechanical alarm clocks to wake them. Of course, many of those looked ancient. He wondered if there was a clock repair shop somewhere in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade he had missed somehow. You would think some sort of a charm would be much simpler and witches and wizards did tend to take the simple magical route after all.

Of course none of that really mattered. Today he just needed to get up, get breakfast, get his schedule, and start the day. Then he could see Hermione, and Luna, and Padma, and Anemy, and Daphne…

That thought brought him up short. Didn't the contract he had signed with Ian mention that the kiss needed to have some basis of love? This was far too early in the time stream for these girls to feel any form of love for him, was it not?

Harry considered each girl as he thought it through. Luna had been the first. She had said it was a way to thank him. Odd, sure, but definitely Luna. Especially a Luna starved of her mother's love for over two years and only spending time with the Weasley's or her father. And he had just protected her from another year of isolation, which he discovered in the previous timeline was tantamount to torture to the poor girl. So she would love him as a protector, something like her father perhaps? But that kiss was nothing like a father. Maybe more like a knight in shining armor?

The next he had kissed had been Hermione. He thought back over the girl. He had learned over dinner from her and Luna just what had happened after he left the compartment. Knowing she was just as starved for friendship at this age as he was, she would latch on to anyone willing to be kind to her and protect them viciously. Of course it was not easy and hearing the truth about her 'first friend Ron' had been hard to bear. So she had come to apologize to him. Perhaps his hug, the kindness behind it, had somehow sparked some shadow of love of friendship? Or was it simply his own love for her had been that overpowering? He really didn't know.

When they had been alone with Padma and Anemy, Padma had kissed him. Somehow that was a shock. All he knew about the young girl came from either later years or her sister. According to both, she had changed much in her fourth year. It was another reason the date with Ron had been so terrible. She had been the shy, introverted twin prior to that. Unlike Fred and George who were essentially the same person in two bodies, Padma and Parvati were more like two sides of the same coin. So she had been confidant enough to kiss him. Was it some form of hero worship? Or maybe it was the love of her sister? Seeing her actions as something her sister would do was a form of love.

And Anemy had stepped in before his lips had even cooled from that kiss. Seeing as he knew nothing about her, it was a shock. Still, if his understanding of his other soul mates was anything to go on, she had experienced some form of isolation. Perhaps it was as simple as the love of a friend or the hope of the future?

Speaking of isolation, that brought him to Daphne. She had stepped in of her own accord and demanded a kiss from him, more or less. It confused the hell out of him, but he certainly would not complain. Well, beyond bringing back the Ice Mistress of Hogwarts. She truly had become a terror in those later years. But did it all center back on him? He thought back over experiences with her in both timelines. In his last one, he never really had the chance to get to know Daphne, so her actions led to a shift in his hopes for Slytherin. But knowing what he knew now changed things. And on top of that, he had been flirting rather hard trying to get her to blush and smile before. Perhaps it was the basis of a possible romantic love forming? Even then love did exist, even if it was not in a large enough quantity to say 'I love you' to someone.

And it seemed Harry did love all of them, in some way. Even Daphne, where it was more a love of remorse, he felt something for. His eleven-year-old body was not really ready for the depth of the love he felt. Naturally, Hermione was the only one he could really say those three words to just yet, but that did not change that the emotion was there and attached to each girl…woman.

And he had brought them terror. They had been so kind and sweet in some way or another, and Harry dragged their dead consciences back with a single kiss. He inserted women hardened by war in a world trying to hide its problems. Could they ever truly forgive him?

With his thoughts exploding in chaos, Harry jumped from his bed in order to grab a shower before any of the other boys. He sniffed the air as he stood. One night and not even Ron in the room to snore and stink it up and it still smelled like a boy's dorm. Even though Harry hated that smell, the memories were sweet and brought a smile to his face.

Harry moved to the mirror. As he did, his eyes settled on his scar. He hadn't even thought about that. According to the memories gained from Snape, his scar was the final horocrux. If that was the case, how did he die and yet Voldemort survived?

Harry thought back to those final few painful minutes. He had unleashed, in some miracle of magic, an area wide killing curse. He had watched it hit Voldemort. He saw the man collapse. Harry thought back through the memory. Unfortunately, he did not have perfect recall. The matter was far too confusing. And he really needed a better view than trying to recall it to figure things out. He needed to find a pensive.

As Harry turned the water on for the shower, he let the water washing over his shoulders rinse the tainted thoughts from his mind for now.

Now to get ready.

Half an hour later found Harry trudging down the stairs just to find Luna sleeping curled up on a couch, looking a lot like a cat, and Hermione yawning over a massive book. Harry grinned to himself when he saw that it was the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. Even with several years of additional study, Hermione was still reviewing. So Harry made his interest by jumping over the last to stairs to land with a playful thud.

Hermione's eyes snapped up and Harry saw her hand twitch toward her wand. Luna rolled off the couch into a crouch. She still looked like a cat, but he could now see a pattern on her cheek from where the material of the couch had pressed against her. While he knew the serious nature behind their reactions, it still made him smile

"Good morning you two! How did you sleep?"

With an annoyed grin on her face, Hermione stood and came over to him. As Luna stretched, again in a very cat-like manner, before moving to join them, Hermione took that time to straighten Harry's tie and brush an imaginary piece of dust from his shoulder. The whole scene felt so family like, as they were currently the only three in the Common Room, that Harry couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

This laugh snapped both girl's attention back to him.

"I slept rather soundly, considering the last night of sleep I recall." Luna nodded her head in concurrence with Hermione's assessment, though she still stood back. It hurt Harry to see the free wild woman he had known suddenly become so apprehensive. Hearing footsteps, Harry observed as Luna moved closer to Hermione at the approach of more people. She moved closer to Harry, but still seemed as if she was trying to remain distant. Hermione seemed to catch on. Reaching over to grab Luna's hand, she led the way toward the exit.

"Let's go!"

A short time later found the three being some of the first to arrive in the Great Hall. There was an odd collection of Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs, as well as Professor McGongall. As they arrived, she made directly for them. While there was a caring look in her eyes, it was well hidden behind her stern 'Professor' demeanor. It was a contradiction in the old scot, one which tickled Harry. He loved the woman as a grandmother, regardless of her actions, or more specifically, inactions regarding him. She may spend too long worshiping Dumbledore, but she was just like many others in that regard. She had still spent a great deal of time caring for him. And in the previous timeline, the professors of Hogwarts had been some of the few pillars to stand against Voldemort's march. Even with Snape as Headmaster, they put in a great deal of effort to subtly fight his machinations. Harry had seen her collapse when the wards of Hogwarts fell, since they had been attached to her at that point in time. He did not know whether she lived through that experience or not as he, along with many others, were waist deep in Death Eaters soon thereafter.

"Well, I'm proud to see some of my students realizing how important today is and arriving early. Here are your schedules." She handed each a parchment. Luna and Hermione immediately grasped these and began to study them. Harry turned his focus back to the Professor, waiting for the rest of her news he knew was coming. "Mr. Potter, as your head of house, I am required to ask that you please do not physically assault anymore classmates. As this occurred prior to your sorting, I shall neither deduct points nor require detention, but please be more respectful in the future." She paused, as if waiting for this meek, small, undernourished boy to merely acquiesce to her request. Harry was done being the weak subservient child he had been though.

"I see. And do tell, Professor, where did you hear of these assaults from?" Professor McGongall seemed shocked for a moment. One of her students, particularly a first year who had just begun was questioning her when she asked he not be physical?

"Well, the Headmaster said-" Harry shocked her again as he stepped in to interrupt.

"I see, and he was there to see these assaults?" Professor McGongall was too shocked at being interrupted to react as a stern professor, so she merely began answering his questions.

"Well no, but Professor Snape-" Harry stepped in once more. He could feel both Hermione and Luna trying to hide their trembling behind him. Luna's he was sure, was for putting the proud Scot on her heels. With Hermione, he was not sure if she was laughing or actually terrified that he was calling her favorite professor to question.

"Ah, Professor Snape. The same Professor Snape who was there and has never in his life lied?"

"He was informed by both Draco Malfoy and Ronald Weasley of your physical altercations Mr. Potter. I will not be disrespected by my students." Professor McGongall straightened her back. She would not be put down by her own students. Harry took pity on her, but pushing his own mild manipulation. He generally did not want to manipulate people, but if it was the truth, how dangerous could a bit of manipulation actually be? Besides, wasn't all form of human interaction, on some level, a form of manipulation? Even if it was only mild and unassuming?

"Professor McGongall, please forgive me. I meant no disrespect. I was merely shocked at being attacked by my own head of house before she had even heard my side of the story. Luna was here when Ron Weasley entered the compartment and can attest to the fact that I never touched the red-headed menace. He went on later to insult Luna, so I asked him to stop. As for Mr. Malfoy, he is quickly becoming that part of our new family I would prefer to only see at holidays. He entered the compartment, including myself and Anemy Yazzi from Hufflepuff, as well as Miss Lovegood, and demanded he could help me make better friends. I will admit that my magic may have been showing, but I did not touch him nor did my magic. I am more than willing to submit myself to prove this. Surely there is some way? Some magic potion or other form of magical commitment to prove I'm telling the truth?"

Harry's rant drew the attention of the rest of the Great Hall which had slowly been filling since McGongall approached them. Seeing the tall Professor told off by a small first year student brought many of them to a halt. It was the greasy haired git who got things rolling again, though Harry also attempted to turn that.

"That will be ten points from Gryffindor for your disrespect, Potter!" Snape's shout drew chuckles from the Slytherins until Harry's response rang out.

"Thank you for that correction, Professor Snape. You are correct, it was rude of me. Such a comment should have been reserved for behind closed doors with my head of house and accusers. Thank you sir and I look forward to your class."

Jaws dropped. Were it possible, they would have literally hit the floor. No one had ever heard, let alone seen Professor Snape thanked for taking points away. There had been angry muttering from most houses and amused snickers from Slytherin, but to actually thank him shook the school. Especially when that thanks came from a Gryffindor. Snape's usual cold sneer was even overridden by shock. Professor McGongall, recovering herself, intervened.

"Yes, quite. Thank you for those observations by both Mr. Potter and Professor Snape. Shall we adjourn to our meeting?" She waited while Harry stood and then led him to the gargoyle Harry had come to know so well. As McGongall gave the password, Harry waited. Silently he mused if this was the fastest any student had ever wrangled a meeting with the Headmaster. Barely twelve hours into the start of the school year and he was already there? He had even been asleep for around eight of those hours.

A Knock on the door shook Harry from his wonderings. He heard the grandfatherly voice call from within for them to enter. As they did, Harry was directed by the Headmaster toward a seat across the desk. It was then that Harry noticed there was a slight level to the desk and the Headmaster's chair. It was subtle, but just enough to guarantee that the Headmaster would always be looking down on the students who sat there. It made Harry smile.

"Thank you, Professor McGongall, that will be all."

"Yes Headmaster." As McGongall turned to leave, Harry's voice called out.

"Excuse me, Professor, but where are you going?" Both Professors turned to face Harry, shocked at his question. After a quick stuttering, McGongall spoke.

"I'm leaving you to your meeting with the Headmaster."

"Ah, but that is against the school rules." Again, two shocked looks. McGongall seemed to miss how this was against school rules, while Harry noted that Dumbledore seemed more shocked that either Harry knew the school rules or at what could possibly be revealed. Before Dumbledore could get over his shock, Harry went on.

"Yes, Professor McGongall, according to the Hogwarts rules, Heads of House serve the role of In Loco Parentis. The founders felt giving the Headmaster that authority would be far too much, so they laid it with the head of house. The only time a professor can be with a student alone without their head of house present is in a detention which all have to be approved by the deputy headmaster/mistress. Actually, due to some issues which happened in the 1300's to do with a blood feud between the headmaster's family and a student, no student is allowed to meet with the Headmaster without their head of house present, regardless of how many other people are in the room." Harry paused for dramatic effect. He barely heard Professor McGongall's statement as it was more to herself, though it did open the door for his next point.

"But with everything else I do, I would never have time to review every detention…"

"Well of course not, being the Head of House. That alone, added to a professor is supposed to be a full-time position. As is Deputy Headmistress alongside being a professor. That is why the Deputy is only allowed to deal with discipline, or reviewing detentions and reviewing point additions and deductions."

Here Dumbledore finally managed to reinsert himself into the conversation.

"Harry my boy, I do believe you have your facts confused."

"Oh, then the set of rules that Minister Fudge showed me in the Department of Mysteries was incorrect? He said they were updated every time the rules of the school were officially changed. How odd."

Harry fought his smile. That was a bunch of bologna. Fudge never showed him the rules. He had discovered them during fifth year as they searched the Department of Mysteries. The only reason he knew what he did was because Hermione had become obsessed and by some random act of who knows which deity, they managed to escape the Ministry of Magic during the hunt with the rules which Hermione had taken to studying in their free time. And when Hermione studied, everyone was forced to sit and learn. Thankfully, in this instance and after reviewing the previous night of their plan with Hermione and Luna, it seemed it was all being worth it. The look of shock and simmering anger on the Deputy Mistress' face was more than worth the risk. He watched as her eyes focused on Dumbledore's. The old man seemed to be feeling the pressure. Though his smile remained, Harry could tell it was strained. Harry's involvement, however, did not last much longer.

"Mr. Potter, perhaps it would be best if I were to review your case a bit more before we discuss it with the Headmaster. Would you excuse us? I do believe that you have class and getting some breakfast before then may be a good idea." The entire time Professor McGongall spoke, her eyes never left Dumbledore. As Harry excused himself, he did note that Professor McGongall's rant began before the door even finished closing. Her Scotish Brogue was thick and Harry could not wait to see the fallout. He made his way back down to breakfast and plopped down between Hermione and Luna with a smile on his face.

This was going to certainly be an interesting year.


	8. Chapter 8: First Day of Classes

It was a content Harry who sat at a table in the potions lab with Neville beside him. While Harry was no super expert at potions like his mum, he had managed to develop some decent abilities under the tutelage of Slughorn and Snape's used book. Hopefully, with that, he could manage to keep himself and Neville from getting hurt too badly.

Of course this was potions. With Slytherin. And Snape. So there really was no telling.

Harry had left the Headmasters office and enjoyed his breakfast. Luna and Hermione both wanted to know what happened, so he indulged. All three knew there was no way Dumbledore would actually remove the cap on Harry. After some further reflection last night with Luna and Hermione, shocking both when he revealed what he had learned about his actual survival of the killing curse, it was determined that somehow, Harry must have fought through the cap to defend himself. Which meant, considering the level of magic Harry currently had actual access to, even though his core was larger after his time trip, he was still capped.

As Snape entered the room, he immediately launched into his original foolish wand waving speech. Harry just droned him out, waiting for his moment to shine. How would he answer this?

"Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity. Tell me. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

It was the same question. Knowing what he did, it made Harry wonder. But this was his first chance to bring Snape down a peg…or ten.

"I'm not sure sir, since those are not covered in our first year book you required. Of course I did come across something similar in my mother's journal…Let me think…Oh yes! She says 'wormwood and asphodel create a potion known as drought of the living death. Why on earth anyone would want to create something like that is beyond someone like me.' And she signed it Lilly Evans. Guess that was before she married dad."

The stare down then occurring was intense. Snape's hatred was palpable in that moment. But it did keep him from his silly questioning. And for once, rather than spouting off about points, Snape seemed lost. While there was certainly anger there at Harry, Snape seemed lost in his care for Lilly Evans. After giving up the battle as lost, Snape snapped his wand, causing instructions to appear on the chalkboard.

"Get to work."

Harry waited until the Potions Master turned away before silently casting a tripping charm just as the potions master began his rant about silly wand waving. Mastering silent casting had been a life saver in the previous timeline. With his wand tip hidden in his robes, Harry quickly cast a dozen charms ranging from breath freshening to lumos. He hoped it never showed.

As Snape stood and dusted himself off, Harry made sure he was focused back on his potion. He could feel Snape's eyes burning into him.

"Potter! Your wand!"

"Sir?" Harry put on the meek scared boy as best he could. He only hoped it worked. With Snape's eyes on him, playing up the scared boy would lead to their eyes not meeting making Legillimency unusable. Instead he focused on the sneer forming on Snape's face.

"I said bring me your wand! That will be ten points for making me repeat myself."

Harry jumped from his seat to quickly bring the professor his wand. Knowing that Snape would find more reasons to take points, it did not seem to matter whether he agreed or not. He just hoped he had cleared his wand well enough. Slowly drawing it from within his robes, he held it as if showing it off to a friend. Snape did not even correct him as he snatched it from his hand. Before anyone else in the room could react, Snape had cast a prior incantatem. When the tripping jinx did not show up, Snape threw the wand back at Harry.

"Well what are you doing not working on your potion? Get back to work! That will be another ten points from Gryffindor."

Harry shuffled back to his seat and silently cast a shielding charm around his and Neville's cauldron. At Neville's questioning eyes, Harry leaned in to whisper.

"Better to be safe than sorry. That will stop anything from getting into the cauldron not placed by either your hand or mine." Neville merely nodded to this idea and let things go, rather than question it. Harry's precaution proved to be a good idea when fifteen minutes later, porcupine quills bounced off the shield. It would not have been a big deal had they not bounced back directly into Snape's face and lodged themselves there. The rage building on the man's face erupted.

"POTTER! That will be a week's worth of detention with me!" Harry calmly kept working as he responded.

"Of course professor, as soon as the detentions are approved as accurate through the Deputy Headmistress according to the school rules."

The gasp in the room was audible. All eyes turned to watch Harry, even as he kept working. Snape's shout echoed in the ensuing silence.

"THAT'S ONE HUNDRED POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Harry calmly added the final component to his potion before responding calmly once more.

"Yes professor, as long as the Deputy Headmistress, in fulfilling her official, school mandated duty, approved and point deductions and gains as accurate." Harry took time to cast an impervious charm on his vial of potion before handing it to the professor. "Here you are sir, mine and Neville's potion."

The entire room fell into shock. Snape was working so hard to clamp down on his rage that he missed the bell ringing as students rushed to deliver their potions before leaving for their next class.

Harry did not see the deranged look following him from beneath a set of red bangs. Ron had been set straight by Snape and then Dumbledore. He knew who the cause behind his suffering was. That became even more pronounced when he was given a night of detention with Professor McGongall following Harry Potter's meeting with the Headmaster. Somehow, even though it had been Ron's own actions which led to that, Ron knew it was all Harry's fault.

Harry also missed the calculating look on Daphne's face throughout the entire class. She still saw him as the cause of her own suffering. He had driven her to Draco and his minions. That connection had made her do terrible things. No, she would not forgive Harry Potter, even if he did bring her back. Sure he had flirted and been nice this go round, but he had an ulterior motive.

They always do.

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The afternoon saw the Gryffindors entering the charms classroom with the Hufflepuffs. Harry found himself seated between Hermione and Anemy with Susan and Hannah on Anemy's other side while Luna and Neville claimed the other side of Hermione. Draco was lost somewhere in the room, but he would surely be dealt with later. Just as Harry was settling in to the lesson about Lumos, Professor Flitwick moved things in a very different direction.

"Wonderful! And since it appears everyone has some level of mastery over that quaint charm, let us move on to something I am sure will keep your tongues wagging for days. Magic Power Charms! Now this is not a charm you can cast on yourself. I must inform you of wand safety, however. Before even aiming your wand at another person, let alone casting a spell, ask for their permission. Got it? Good. Now, for this spell, aim your wand roughly at the other individual's heart. As you move your wand in a clockwise motion, say 'Magicae video' jabbing the point toward them on the D of Video. Also, for those of you taking notes, do remember this is a spell in Latin, so even though you may be hearing a W, it is actually spelled with a V. got it? Excellent! Let's begin. Everyone pair off."

As the tiny professor waited, the class paired off. Harry, ultimately, paired with Anemy. It was his first real opportunity to interact with the young lady since leaving the train and he wanted to relish in it as much as he could.

"Mind working with me?" Harry offered that crooked grin. He noted Susan giving Anemy a concerned look, which the young lady with the grey eyes shook off. She turned back, offering her own grin at Harry.

"Not at all, just be careful with that wand of yours." It took Harry by surprise and as such, the look confirming she intended the innuendo was nearly missed. As he smirked, he retorted.

"Well if I am too careful, how will you ever find out just how good I am with it?" Her considering look had him grinning like a loon for a minutes. Then she answered.

"I think not. I like my men older. But I will let you cast this spell on me."

As the room began casting the spell, Flitwick began to explain what students were seeing.

"The number which you are reading, or rather which is appearing in your mind, is one connected to the arithmantic formula behind the spell, meaning it is constant no matter who casts it. That number is meant to define how many Hekas you have. Most wizards and witches average around 120-130 at your age. That will probably grow to around 200 by the time you graduate. Your magical maturity, which typically occurs around 25 will leave the average witch or wizard with around 250 Hekas. That is about what you all can expect, unless one of you happens to be a mage, or perhaps even a sorcerer."

"Mage, Professor?" It was Parvati who ventured the question. This led Flitwick into his next lesson.

"An Excellent Question, Ms. Patil. An excellent Question indeed. See, all Hekas fall on a scale. They do not actually define ability or brains, or any of that. What Hekas count are the amount of magic someone can throw into a particular spell. Often times people like to make a big deal of being on the upper echelons of power, but it really doesn't matter. I was a dueling master and managed to win nine world championships, yet I only register as a great wizard. The Hekas work on a scale.

"Once you mature, someone below 200 is classes as a minor witch or wizard. Below 100 is a squib, while 0 is muggle. Up to 275 is a wizard, then up to 350 is a great wizard. Over 400 classifies you as a minor mage, then over 450 is mage. Over 500 is a great mage. The highest recorded levels reach sorcery. Over 550 classes as a minor sorcerer, over 600 as a sorcerer. As we have never seen levels higher than that, there is no higher classification.

"There have only ever been five people to reach those levels. And before you ask, it was the founders and Merlin himself. Merlin is the only ever recorded Sorcerer while all of the founders were classed as minor sorcerers and sorceresses. But all of them were brilliant in their own right. Merlin managed magic never seen since, while the founders designed what we refer to today as Western Magic. That is, primarily, Charms, potions, and arithmancy."

"And what about runes or Transfiguration." A voice called from somewhere in the room. Harry was too caught up in Flitwick's lecture to care where.

"Ahh, what of them indeed. Transfiguration actually came to us from Egyptian roots, though our understanding of the subject is highly limited. Rune, while found in many traditions, are strongest and rooted in Norse Magic. There are other kinds we don't even really teach here, such as Soul magic or Shamanic Magic. I've heard somewhere that the Greek's were partial to elemental magic and the Sumerians had their own brand. Those are just legends of course. Heck, even though we live on the shores of Britain, Celtic magic is not well taught here.

"In addition, before you ask me, Dumbledore qualifies as a Great Mage, as did You-Know-Who. Now back to work, all of you!"

As they turned back to their work, Anemy cast the spell on Harry and froze. She could not picture what she was seeing. There were two numbers, but one was hidden. The number visible read at 121. She raised her hand to get the professor's attention.

"Yes my dear?" The tiny half-goblin professor asked as he approached.

"Professor, something odd happens when I cast the spell at Harry."

"Indeed? Mr. Potter, would you mind if I were to cast this spell on you?" Harry nodded his acceptance and watched the professor's eyes widen as he cast the spell. The look on his face raised Harry's own concern. Noting the look on Harry's face, Flitwick smiled. "Mr. Potter, your magic is currently on par with everyone else's. That said, I must ask if you know who placed a cap on your magic."

"Well, according to my mum's journal, it was professor Dumbledore sir." Harry played up the frightened looking child. It really wasn't much to play. Depending on where Flitwick's loyalties lie, this could go very well or poorly. Also there really was no telling what a cap could do to his magic if left on. Flitwick considered Harry's response.

"I see. Well, Mr Potter, I shall need to have a word with our Headmaster, if that is alright with you? I honestly do not know enough about caps to know what is going on. It could be removed and you may suddenly find yourself a mage at eleven. On the other hand, it is also entirely possible when it is removed, you remain with the exact number of Hekas you have now. The biggest issue is that if it is the earlier case, the longer it is left on then the more damaging the removal will be to…well, everyone around you. Also, only yourself, with a burst of magic, or the one who cast the cap can remove it."

Flitwick leaned in as the bell rang for the end of class.

"I shall speak with our illustrious Headmaster for you, alright?" When he followed that with a wink, Harry went for broke.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick? Seeing as you were a nine time dueling champion, I was wondering if…well perhaps?" Harry let the question float in the air. Flitwick immediately picked it up.

"Ah, yes, an interesting idea. There is a small issue, Mr. Potter. The Headmaster has forbidden me from training anyone to duel. Says it is too unforgiving and breeds the wrong attitude. Bull, I say. Dueling is all about respect. Ah well. Pity you need to be so fit to duel." Harry caught the pointed look Flitwick offered him.

"Well, sir, if you are not teaching me to duel, would you be willing to serve as my physical trainer?"

Harry watched as the grin spread across Flitwick's crinkled face. Seeing the half-goblin so excited was thrilling in and of itself. Harry wondered how or even if he had missed Flitwick's disapproval of the Headmaster in the previous timeline. Of course back then he was more like McGongall, going with whatever he heard.

As Harry raced off to his next class, he decided to consider it later.

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Harry arrived just a few minutes before Transfiguration class began. As he entered, he had to smirk at the tabby cat sitting on the desk. This was one thing Harry had planned for himself without Hermione and Luna's help. He drew some catnip from his bag and approached the desk. He set it down and passed through the desks, passing both Hermione and Luna as well as Padma since they shared this class with Ravenclaw. The attempts to hide their grins were impressive, even if they were failing. Still, hearing the cat react from behind him made it all worth it.

But all good things come to an end. As Draco erupted into the room a few minutes later, late for class, this drew the Professor's attention away from her prize delivered by a student. Snapping her attention back, she jumped from the desk and transformed back into the stern Scot just as Draco had pulled his parchment and quill out and looked to the front of the room.

The gasp of shock from most student was worth it. The grin from Harry caught the Professor's attention.

"Yes, quite well done, Mr. Potter. Tell me, how did you know?" Harry's grin grew.

"Lucky guess. I remember a particular cat from some dreams back at my parents' house."

Harry knew that was cruel, but he needed to push his advantage is he was going to get McGongall on his side. He needed the stern woman in his corner is he was indeed to survive this time around. But the look of sadness which swept across her face still hurt.

"Yes, well done Mr. Potter. Five points to Gryffindor. Now on to Transfiguration."

The lesson progressed as it generally did, or had in the previous timeline. With a bit of guidance from Harry, Padma, Hermione, and Luna, not only did the four time travelers complete the transformation, but so too did the rest of the class with Neville finishing just before the bell rang. As Harry moved to leave, he heard Professor McGongall call him back.

"Mr. Potter, that was quite the stunt you pulled there. Between that and what you did in the Headmaster's office this morning, I am not sure if I should be looking forward to the next seven years or not."

Harry gulped, scared of her response until he noted the twitch at the side of her frown. She was annoyed, but amused. It was far better than upset.

"After you left, the Headmaster and myself had a long talk. We also spoke with both Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley. After further review, they will both be serving detentions this evening with myself and all future punishments must be approved by me. You seem to be making quite the ruckus. I heard about a particular first year potions class. Professor Snape was rather upset to see the points he attempted to deduct had not in fact been removed. He was even more upset when I asked for a memory to approve the detention." There was a dangerous gleam in her eye. Harry was just glad that it did not seem to be directed at him.

"While I still don't approve of your treatment of the Headmaster," Ah, there it was. So there was still work to do with the Transfiguration Mistress, but the groundwork was laid. "I would be very interested to see your interpretation. Any chance you would mind sharing your memory of the experience with me?" Harry's shock must have shown as she lifted a Pensive onto the desk. Either this was new or Dumbledore was not, in fact, the only professor to own one as Harry had previously determined.

"Do not be afraid, Mr Potter. This is simply a Pensive. It is a way for others to view your memories. Do you mind?" She raised her wand so he could see it. At Harry's nod, she instructed as she placed the wand to his temple. "Just think of the class, from the start of the memory to the end. Keep thinking, Keep thinking." As she finished withdrawing the memory, she dropped it deftly into the Pensive. With a smile, she turned back to Harry.

"Care to join me?" At his grin, she informed him of how to enter the object. Harry, in an attempt to feign ignorance, was hesitant at jumping in even though deep down he was more than thrilled to not only watch that class once more, but to find perhaps a chance for access to a Pensive himself.

It was a smiling Harry and a lip twitching McGongall who exited the Pensive just a few minutes later.

"Mr. Potter, were it not to look like favoritism, I would grant you ten points for keeping your cool. In addition, I have cancelled the detention which Professor Snape called for. Please go enjoy your dinner. And do you mind if I keep this memory?"

Harry happily nodded his ok as he turned to exit the room. He had no idea what was coming next, but this trip through first-year was off to an exciting bang.


	9. Chapter 9: DADA and Flying Lessons!

After an eventful first day, Harry was up bright and early for day number two. Today included his first class session with Professor Two Face! Harry had already decided to take a back seat in this class, letting Hermione and Luna take the lead on their plan. A quick shower and Harry was off to meet this mistresses of trouble.

Both were once more waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, and yet again Hermione was lost in the Standard Book of Spells while Luna was stretching from her catnap on the couch. Harry decided to take a different approach today, silently silencing his feet before sneaking the rest of the way down the stairs. He quietly came to stand behind Hermione, silencing Luna with a look of his eyes. She seemed ready to burst keeping her giggles in. Harry leaned back, getting ready to roar in Hermione's ear.

"Well it is about time you got up!"

All of the air left Harry in a huff. He moved around the loveseat and flopped down next to her while Luna gave in to her laughter across from them. With a slight scowl, Harry turned to face Hermione.

"How did you know I was there?"

Hermione considered him, as if weighing if his question was worth answering. Then, with a grin of her own, she dove into the explanation.

"Well, you are Harry Potter. Things happen to and around you which could never be easily explained. Add in the fact that not only is Dumbledore here and able to manipulate the living daylights out of any and everyone around, but the wraith of a megalomaniac who tried to kill you when you were barely a year old are both occupying the same castle as you? Well, I felt a tracking charm would be good…or ten."

"I threw in a few too!" Luna Chimed in with a tired yawn as she finally overcame her fit of laughter. Hermione offered the girl a smile before turning her attention back to Harry.

"You really think we would let you out of our range of observation for a second? I think Padma threw in one as well during Transfiguration." Harry raised his hands in surrender.

"Ok, Ok! You all win. I'm sorry. Shall we get going? It is going to be quite a day!"

An hour and a half later, Harry, Hermione, and Luna were gathered in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They shared this class with the Slytherins and Harry watched them all enter. He found the scowl Daphne wore rather unsettling, particularly as it contrasted with the genuine smile Tracey offered and the grin Blaise kept trying to hide.

A bit less subtle was the pure look of loathing that Ron Weasley, who had somehow managed to get Crabbe and Goyle to follow him around, was aiming in his direction. Harry would have mistaken him for a red-headed Draco except that blond ponce himself entered a few minutes later, treating Harry with yet another glare. The room seemed to be full of them. Even Quirrel offered one as he entered, but he hid it almost instantly and Harry would have missed it had he not been watching for it. As the room settled down, Harry found himself at a table with Tracey with Daphne and Blaise seated behind. The rest of Slytherin and Gryffindor gave those gathered in the center as wide a berth as they dared, the old rivalries already setting in. Luna and Hermione grabbed the table in front of him. Before class began, Tracey leaned in.

"So what on earth did you do to Daphne? I have never seen her like this. Cold and distant, sure, but this is something else." Harry considered Tracey for a minute before leaning in to offer his response.

"Tracey, as much as I wish I could share so you could help the two of us, that really would not be fair to Daphne. It is an issue between the two of us, so I will not share without her permission. But I promise, I am working on it."

Tracey looked annoyed at his response. She was sure Harry would jump in to try and help. He hadn't really seemed to notice the issues or the suddenly tense attitude her best friend had toward him, or at least she thought he had not. At first, she had thought the attitude had to do with Harry being a Gryffindor, but then last night she had overheard Daphne crying in her bed. The itself was enough to scare the young girl, but things became far more complex when she heard Daphne saying Harry's name. She was saying it over and over, sometimes almost sounding like a love struck teen and other times as if she hated his guts. It was a complicated place for a seventeen-year-old to understand.

An eleven-year-old stood no chance.

Still, Daphne was her best friend. She would have to do the best friend thing.

"Ok, but I promise you, if you hurt her, I will break you." Tracey did not expect Harry's response. The Boy-Who-Lived, the gentle soul who had been so lively and energetic and, well, fun on the train turned his gaze on her. And Tracey could have sworn she felt heartbreak there and suddenly the young boy beside her's eyes looked even older than Dumbledore.

"It may be too late. But I promise I will do everything in my power to make it better."

Those ominous words hung in the air. Tracey, though smart for her age, was well beyond her depth now. She had no earthly idea how she could adequately respond to that.

Luckily she was saved from having to respond by the stuttering coming from the front of the class. Quirrel was starting the lesson.

It went about as plainly as Harry remembered last time, going through the role and a stuttering introduction to DADA when Hermione's hand shot up, interrupting Quirrel about the time he mentioned the importance of defense. The professor seemed a bit stunned, but called on her.

"Y-y-yess M-m-m-miss Gr-gr-gr-gr-granger?" Harry heard the slight hiss to the 's' in his words and wondered how he had missed it before. He supposed that proved ignorance was bliss…or something like that. Harry leaned back and waited. This was Hermione and Luna's plan. He was just looking forward to see what happened.

"Yes sir. Well, I hope he doesn't hate me for this, but we have in this very classroom the best example of defense and since you are the expert, I was wondering if you might be able to tell us how it was done." Harry waited as all eyes turned momentarily toward him before a stuttering drew their attention back to the front of the room.

"Y-y-yess, well I s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-suppose we c-c-can dd-d-dissc-c-c-cussss that in a f-f-f-few weeks."

Now it was Luna's turn.

"Eh, really a waste of time. I mean everyone must have thought that Dark Lord silly since they wouldn't even print his name. Besides, Voldemort? Really? What true Dark Lord is so scared of death, he names himself to tell everyone he is running away?"

The temperature in the room dropped. Harry watched Quirrel's eye twitch. Harry had his hand on his wand, just to be safe. He didn't think Quirrel would blow his cover, but there really was no telling. And just as Luna finished speaking, Harry felt the twinge in his scar. Voldemort was mad. The rest of the class, however, seemed more focused on Hermione and Luna's casual dismissal of what had been termed the most feared dark lord in centuries.

Therefore, no one was expecting the explosion from their timid seeming professor.

"HOW DARE YOU! Little girls such as yourselves should never insult the greatest dark lord to ever walk the earth! You will regret that decision!"

As suddenly as he started, Quirrel stopped his rant and seemed to be apologizing, seemingly to thin air. It was only the handful of time travelers who heard the snake like hissing voice responding.

"You fool, stop! We have more important things to do!" Suddenly Quirrel collapsed on the ground. In the oddity of his outburst, everyone missed the casting of a tripping hex from Harry, who then stepped forth to help the fallen professor to his feet.

"Professor, are you alright?" Harry reached down and offered his hand to the professor. No one was prepared for what came next.

Well, no one except for Harry.

As Quirrel's flailing hand found Harry's, smoke began to rise. As Quirrel's hand turned to ash, his screams filled the air and Harry suddenly pulled back, almost acting as if he had been shocked. The rest of the room looked on in shock, unsure of how to react. This was even new for Hermione who knew what was coming, having been near the experience with Harry and having seen the aftermath.

Quirrel, based on the reaction of his master who possessed him, was to draw his wand to cast obliviations like there was no tomorrow. Unfortunately, his wand hand was the one which harry had held. Harry, under pain from having actually touched the monster before him, fell on his ass. Most of the other students at this point either ran in fear or shock. Those that remained, which amounted to the time travelers, Neville, Tracey, and Blaise, were the only ones to view the face peeking out from the now displaced turban on the professor's head.

At that point, all hell broke loose. The room emptied before the professor could react, Neville helping Hermione drag a now unconscious Harry from the room while Luna grabbed his books.

By lunch, the story would be throughout the castle and professor Quirrel would suddenly find himself on the receiving end of numerous glances. His lack of wand hand did not help matters either.

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Professor Dumbledore was confused.

That was saying something. The master manipulator was not used to lacking an awareness of all events. Of course the past few days had rocked everything he knew. Somehow, Harry potter had come to Hogwarts and not only was the small meek boy…well…not any of that, but he was well researched and seemed to have friends.

Dumbledore had expected the small lad to come and view the staff as saviors, Dumbledore in particular.

Dumbledore had expected the meek child to meet Molly Weasley on the way into Platform 9 and three quarters and for the matron's motherly attitude to lead to her naturally mothering the child.

Dumbledore had expected the friendless boy to accept the first offer of lonely friendship offered which should have been when Ronald Weasley entered the cabin the boy occupied, therefore making the two fast friends such that Ronald could influence how Harry viewed Hogwarts, friends, and houses.

Somehow, none of that had come to pass.

Instead of the expected, Harry had come to Hogwarts with friends including a muggleborn and pureblood student. Instead of being in the same house as Ronald Weasley, the two were in houses often found in opposition to one another. Instead of being without any knowledge or understanding of the wizarding world, the boy seemed to know the rules as well, if not better than the Headmaster himself.

Dumbledore thought back to his meeting with the boy. It had been far from what he had expected. The Headmaster barely managed ten words before Harry had managed to somehow win Professor McGongall to his side. Dumbledore knew that would happen should the Deputy Headmistress ever learn that he had illegally pawned most of the Headmaster duties off to her. Of course he had not expected that to happen during a meeting with a first year student who, to his knowledge, had no understanding of the wizarding world until Hagrid had visited him the month prior.

And somehow, in that month, Harry had become friends with the Minister of Magic to the point where the minister had not only taken the boy to the Department of Mysteries, but had let the boy study the Hogwarts charter! Worse yet, when Dumbledore had asked the Minister, the fool had denied it! Even Legillimency had not managed to prove the boy's story.

No, things just kept getting stranger.

Then, following the boy's first DADA class, he had discovered that somehow, there were rumors going around that Quirrel supported Voldemort! Even if those were true, the fact that these rumors were running around the Hogwarts rumor mill was not good. And the man's lack of a wand hand did not help in ending the rumors. Worse, because the limb was lost through some absurd magic, Madam Pomfrey was unable to regrow the hand.

No, this year was already a mess and Dumbledore felt he had already ruined first impressions with the young boy. He would need to remove some of those friends who seemed to be standing in Dumbledore's way of influencing Harry.

Luckily, his placement of Voldemort's pawn could assist him in this. He would have to step back from actually meeting with young Harry until he could figure a way around those rules which the Deputy Headmistress was now annoyingly following. In the meantime, he would help how he could in moving the Pawn's plans for Halloween forward. That would simply have to do.

Of course then there was the complication which was Snape's simmering anger toward the young boy. Again, his Deputy was now standing in the way of his abating that anger.

Ah, the challenges of being Headmaster and Leader of the Light.

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Thursday morning found Harry sitting at Breakfast, thrilled for the upcoming Flying lessons that afternoon. Hermione, on the other hand, was looking rather green for having to relive that experience.

Harry was so engrossed in his excitement that it took three pecks from the large eagle who had landed before him to grab his attention. Looking up, Harry noted the letter which it carried had the Gringott's seal. Harry quickly removed the letter, offering some of his own food before the Eagle was winging its way out the window. Harry had Luna and Hermione both close in so as to cut off others from seeing what was in the letter. Harry tore the seal and opened his prize.

 _Mr. Potter,_

 _Following your most recent visit, your accounts have been placed under review. Due to the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of your previous account manager, we here at Gringott's feel it will be in the best interest of both yourself and our Bank to address any concerns discovered._

 _At the moment, certain issues have arisen for which we will seek redress. Larger concerns shall be held until such time as you are once more able to enter our doors._

 _Finally, we have completed your inheritance test. The results are interesting to say the least. Considering our experience and the news which has been discovered, we would prefer to have you meet with Master Ragnock and Account Manager Griphook for further review._

 _Please respond with a time when you are able to get away from current commitments to see us. We understand your time is valuable and limited, so we will make due with 24 hour notice of impending appointments._

 _Thank you._

 _Griphook Axeslayer_

 _28_ _th_ _Potter Account Manager_

Harry offered a pointed look to both Hermione and Luna who merely shrugged in response. When he explained his visit, they had all been expecting concerns with the accounts. Letting the goblins take care of dealing with those legal concerns would be in his best interest. The inheritance test, however, was a bit odd. According to Luna, most times those results were sent along as soon as complete, not truly considered secret.

So for them to place such secrecy on these results did raise some concern.

They were distracted as Ron approached, backed by Crabbe and Goyle. Upon observation, it was easy to tell that the two boys really did nothing more than stand and look tough. Apparently it was just a matter of being slightly smarter to get them on board.

A fact that was proven when Ron spoke.

"So Potter, ready to drop the harlots and squib and come hang with the real wizards?"

Conversation surrounding the interaction stopped. Even the upper years were watching to see how Harry would react to the words from the wizard developing a nickname of red-headed-meanace.

Unfortunately, everyone would be disappointed. Harry knew the best was to affect Ron was to ignore him and the girls were too lost in their thoughts of the Gringott's letter. Harry stood and the girls followed.

With these thoughts on their minds, the trio left for classes.

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That afternoon found the collection of first years on the Hogwarts grounds with brooms waiting for Madam Hooch's instruction. This was one of two lessons which all four houses had together, the other being Astronomy.

Both Ron and Draco had been spouting off and arguing about who would be better on a broom. Both were convinced they were the only ones able to fly worth anything, neither realizing the brooms they were preparing to use were ancient and better for long steady flights than the acrobatics of Quidditch. How Harry had managed what he did in the original timeline on such a broom was the real reason Mcongall had fought for the exceptions to get him on the Quidditch team.

In short order, Madam Hooch had each student standing beside a broom and was guiding them through getting them into the air. Harry was hovering soon thereafter and was guiding Hermione to get her steady and a few feet off the ground. After she seemed steady enough, Harry continued his rounds by educating Neville, Susan, Anemy, Padma, and Parvati on how to get their brooms going. Neville simply needed a bit more confidence, Susan simply wanted a chance to talk to Harry, Anemy was not used to using a broom, and Padma and Parvati were more prepared for a flying carpet which was illegal to use in Britain.

Unfortunately, sometimes the timeline did not change. Try as he might, Harry found himself once more chasing down a remembrall thrown away by Draco, once more belonging to Neville while Madam Hooch was off seeing to an injured Neville.

What did change, however, was that rather than seeing the amazing acrobatics, Professor McGongall came onto the scene just following the miraculous catch. The rest of the class was still hovering around thirty feet off the ground. As McGongall called for Harry to return, things went wrong.

Padma, who felt she was handling a broom better than her sister, had decided to try going a bit higher and was currently about forty-five feet off the ground. Just as Harry turned to head back for the Professor, there was a massive cracking sound followed by a scream.

Before anyone else could react, Harry moved and positioned himself to catch the Indian witch. As she landed in his arms, her screams continued, even as his arms secured her and her head was buried into his shoulder.

Her screaming did not stop until Harry had his two feet solidly back on the ground. He was still holding the frightened witch bridal style, letting her cling to him. Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Before he knew how to react, Harry was surrounded by Hermione and Luna as well as a crying Parvati and Lavender. Professor McGongall, finally shaken from her frozen reaction to the situation merely began walking stiffly toward Harry.

"Mr. Potter!"

The back slapping and more instantly stopped at her declaration. Seeing the fear on the boy's face, the professor began again in much softer tones.

"Mr. Potter, that was very brave and well done. Fifty points to Gryffindor for your actions. Miss Patil, how are you?"

The witch responded by letting out a soft sob and burying her head deeper into Harry's neck. She refused to let the black-haired wizard let her down. Her heart had still not really started again after that scare, or at least felt like it had not.

"Very well, Mr. Potter, please join me as we see Miss Patil to the Hospital Wing, then you and I need to speak."

Harry began a slow trek toward the Hospital Wing. While Padma was by no means heavy, Harry was back in his weakened eleven-year-old body. Luckily for him, Hermione, Luna, Lavender, and Parvati had decided to tag along. Hermione noticed his problem and silently cast a weightless charm on the traumatized witch.

After explaining the situation to Madam Pomfrey, she had gone to get a calming drought for Padma. While she was gone, Harry carefully let her down into a bed. Just as he was letting her go, He felt her gently kiss his cheek.

"You give me my sister back and manage to save my life. Is there anything you cannot do Harry?" Harry felt something in him so he offered as honest a response as he could manage.

"For you, anything I can do, I will do."

The look that passed between the two as he pulled back was meaningful, passionate, and the start of something important for both.

And Parvati noticed.

As Harry stepped back, still watching Padma, Parvati stepped into place next to him so she could whisper into his ear.

"I have no earthly idea what is going on with you, but thank you. She is very precious to me."

In the movement going on and as Parvati moved to her sister's side, she almost missed his response.

"She is precious to me too."

Almost.


	10. Chapter 10: Hermione's Birthday

Time began to pass slowly but surely for the time travelers.

In the aftermath of the first flying lesson, Padma, Lavender, Parvati, and Su Li had joined the small study group which had formed and included Harry, Hermione, Luna, and Neville. While things seemed to more or less settle back into their normal stream, Harry noticed Padma watching him at times and, when in Transfiguration, she seemed to always partner with him. He found no reason to complain, though the questioning looks from her sister reminded him that Parvati knew about neither the time travelling nor about the soul bond he had formed with her.

Unless Padma had shared?

Over time, Neville had invited Hannah and Susan, whom he had grown up with, to their little study group and Anemy tagged along with them. It was certainly not an unwelcomed development in Harry's mind. While he sat next to Anemy every charms class, that really provided few or no opportunities for them to get to know one another. In their study group, however, he began to learn a bit about her family, just as he was doing with the other Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs in his little group. The difference was he noted several occasions where tears seemed to begin to form as she corrected herself from using the past tense for her family. It was subtle, but Harry picked up on it. He always felt a drive to move to hug the witch with those wonderful Grey eyes, but his Gryffindor Courage always seemed to give out.

The oddest collection of people to join their efforts to learn seemed to be the small group of three Slytherins which sat just close enough to get help and at times be of assistance, but just far enough away they could say they were not part of the group. Tracey and Blaise seemed ready to jump in as a part of the growing team of friends, but the glares Daphne seemed to constantly shift in Harry's direction kept them apart.

It also led to Tracey, Hermione, and Luna all reminding him on multiple occasions that he really needed to step up and fix things. And to his credit, Harry did make a few efforts. Each one was spurned by the young blonde. And while Harry wanted to give up, he knew that was not an option…and he would have known that even without Tracey and Hermione serving as bugs in his ears.

Having already sat through the actual lessons occurring in class, there was little left for them to pick up. It had taken some convincing, but Hermione had been convinced to hold back, at least a little bit, while the other brilliant witches (which is indeed exactly what Padma and Anemy were) convinced Harry to actually put in the effort. As such, the time travelers were all currently being praised for their efforts, which had led them to the top of their classes. Harry was included in this and found a fun bit of competition with the others for the title of top student to be invigorating. Even Snape found very little wrong with their efforts, despite his own.

Dumbledore had, somehow, managed to plant a bug in the rumor mill which effected the student body something fierce. The new rumor surrounding the newly disfigured DADA professor was that his disintegration had something to do with the protections which had saved Harry from the Killing Curse as a child and did not interact well with Dark Magic, something which unfortunately Professor Quirrel was coated in due to his travels.

This naturally led to Harry's demonization at Hogwarts occurring nearly a year earlier than it had last time. He was now the distant hero which no one could touch. It was Dumbledore's master plan. IF the students were scared to be near Harry, no one could befriend him.

Unfortunately, Dumbledore had counted on neither soul mates nor genuine friendships to develop this early. That was simply because outside of Gellert and perhaps Snape, Albus had never truly experienced friendship himself. Even as a child and in school, his connections to other individuals was about what they could offer him. Not that he ever portrayed things that way.

So Hogwarts settled into a routine.

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As September 19th rolled around, Hermione was anticipating and dreading her 12th/19th birthday.

They were really going to have to figure that one out.

While she was thrilled to actually have friends this time around, not to mention whatever it was she had going on with Harry. She had never truly celebrated a birthday with friends. Her first time through Hogwarts, it was her 6th year before Harry and Ron discovered when it was and that was after the day itself had already passed. The following year had been during the hunt which left little to no time for them to truly celebrate.

Before Hogwarts, of course, there had been no friends to celebrate with. The one time she thought there would be friends, it had turned out that her parents had invited classmates who all simply showed up for cake. In fact, outside of handing her poorly wrapped gifts of no real significance, not one had talked to her. And this was when she was 10!

No, only her parents had ever celebrated her birthday before.

With those solemn thoughts, Hermione began to get ready for the day. As she left for the bathroom, she missed the smirking blond face which snuck over to slip a piece of parchment into Hermione's robe pocket.

As Hermione moved down to the Common Room with her now regular Book of Spells in hand, she heard a crinkling coming from her pocket. As she settled down on the couch, she noted Luna already curled up and once more sleeping as they waited for Harry.

As Hermione's thoughts drifted to her Black-haired best friend, she forgot about the crinkling in her pocket.

Somehow, a kiss from Harry had pulled her from her dying body back into her eleven-year-old one. While it meant coming back to bushy hair and buck teeth, perhaps it was better than dying. And more than that, Harry had kissed her.

This confused the young witch to no end. She had spent the past seven years following Harry. Some said it was like a puppy, but Hermione knew it was something else. She had thought, in her first year, he was amazing and not because he was The Boy-Who-Lived. She had felt her heart, one long left closed and distant so people could not tease her, open itself to him in second year, especially as she heard about him sitting with her even while petrified. She had cried herself to sleep for quite some time over the broom incident of third year. She knew she'd had fights with people before, and most she could not care less if she dumped them after. At the time she had placed Ron in that category. But somehow, with Harry, it was different. She felt her heart soar during their year-end adventures that year.

Fourth year had been hard for both of them. While Harry was the one ostracized for his name coming out of the goblet, Hermione had not fared much better with coming down on his side as well as the situation with Krum and the Prophet. She had fought herself all year. She was just a friend helping a friend…right? She had accepted the offer to attend the ball with Krum for that reason and because she felt Harry deserved someone better. She had been scared when Harry so easily welcomed Ron back into the fold after the first task, but Harry had not let her slip away. And the Ball, it had all been worth it, the hours of fighting with her hair to get ready, just to see Harry's face when she came down. She knew she was in love.

But the final task and Voldemort's subsequent return had ended all her dreams of snagging the green-eyed seeker. He had no room for that and after all, he was like her brother. Wasn't he? Fifth year came as did the terror known as Umbridge. Hermione knew she had not been the best of friends then nor even in sixth, but she was trying to distance herself. Even unknowingly, she pushed him away because she didn't love him.

And it had all come down to the final battle. Even during the hunt when Ron ran, or when she was being tortured by Bellatrix, Harry had not backed down. He had fought through overwhelming odds. And the clincher was the final battle. Harry was amazing. He moved with grace and skill that wizards with years of experience could never even dream of. But a few mistakes had led to Voldemort seeing his guard drop, so Hermione knew what she had to do.

Sure, she had been dating Ron, but Ron was dead and in that instant, she knew that it was Harry who had and would always have her heart. It was Harry who had dragged her from her shell. It was Harry who was there for her just as much as she was for him. It was Harry she would give anything for.

And that is what she did.

She had seen the green light and with a speed she had not known she possessed, she dove between her green-eyed seeker and Voldemort.

But as her spirit was leaving her body, she was still aware. Somehow, by some miracle, her spirit could not flee the battle. It was drawn, attached to Harry. As were several others. Hermione could not identify them exactly, but she knew several seemed familiar.

And she had watched Harry explode on her death. That was when she knew. That was when all that mattered…didn't.

She knew Harry loved her.

Movement in the Common Room drew her from her thoughts. Hermione's eyes snapped up with a smile, expecting to see Harry.

Instead, her eyes fell on a sneering Draco Malfoy who had stopped long enough to see her. As Hermione saw others filling the room, she wondered where Harry was. He generally beat the rush. Draco's words cut through her distraction.

"What are you looking at mudblood? Looking for your precious defender? He couldn't even stand to wait for you." With a sneer turning to a grin, Draco turned swiftly to head out the door before two other Gryffindors grabbed him under the arms, lifting the smaller boy off the ground and heading back up the stairs.

"Sorry 'bout that…"

"…Hermione. Young Draco seems…"

"…to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed."

"He should know better…"

"…than to use such foul language…"

"…with a housemate."

"Don't you worry."

"We'll have a chat with him!" The twins finished in unison, disappearing up the stairs with Draco between them howling about his father hearing. Hermione grinned just long enough for them to disappear before turning back to a now awake Luna.

"So Harry already left?" Hermione felt herself a bit upset at this. While she didn't need a party, she did want to spend time with Harry. They were still sorting everything out, but in the end, it was her birthday.

Noting there was no response, Hermione looked over to see a playful smile on Luna's face. The young blond merely grabbed her bag before heading out of the portrait hole, leaving Hermione to chase after. As she did, Hermione heard the parchment crinkle once more. This time curiosity overtook her and she pulled it forth.

 _Hermione!_

 _Happy Birthday to my oldest most spectacularly beautiful and brilliant friend!_

 _By now you have figured out I am already gone. Well, for some reason Madam Hooch has canceled our afternoon classes and as this is the celebration of the birth of the one person who I literally owe my life to a dozen times over, I felt we should celebrate!_

 _Now, do not miss your morning class ma'am, but following lunch join me. You should know where, but if not, ask the House Elves._

There was no signature, but Hermione needed none of that. She knew that chicken scratch anywhere. With a face splitting grin stretching across the expanse from ear to ear, Hermione tore off to follow Luna who was now well ahead.

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Harry's absence, while noted by herself, Luna, and Daphne, seemed to be ignored by everyone else. Hermione, however, was too distracted by Professor Quirrel and the smell coming from him to really get into figuring out why this was.

As she entered the Great Hall, still reflecting over the past few weeks, Hermione failed to notice a distinct lack of presence from her study group. In fact, she was halfway through another chapter of her newest study companion textbook before she remembered she was actually supposed to be eating.

It was strange for the bookworm. She had become so used to Harry or Luna saying something to draw her from her books that pulling herself from them felt out of place. It took her a few more minutes to realize that neither friend was with her. This started a panic in Hermione as she rose to her feet, seeking out another friendly face to ask.

Noting that Neville was also gone, Hermione began to panic. Her notes and book forgotten, Hermione thought hard. Where could everyone be?

As Hermione left the Great Hall, she did not notice the pair of blue eyes following her. Either set, from the green and silver table nor the head table.

Hermione was distracted, but as the missing friends began to pass her in the hall, she felt more frantic. Finally, as she passed Neville, she grabbed his lapels.

"Have you seen Harry!"

Neville looked at the wild look in her eyes with confusion in his own.

"He said he was doing something for you."

Those words stopped Hermione short. She had been freaking out so much about the change in routine that she completely missed and forgot about Harry's note. This set her back on the riddle.

Where would the house elves send Harry?

After a quick pass through the kitchens, Hermione knew where she was off to next. She would have run to the seventh floor if not for the distinct movement of the fabled Hogwarts stairs slowing her down. As she arrived, breathless, she began pacing before the door, thinking about seeing Harry.

As the door appeared, Hermione moved quickly to grasp the handle. She took one more steadying breath before throwing the door open to enter.

And the room was bright.

The Room was open.

And the room was empty.

Empty?

That did not seem to fit. She had asked to see Harry. Why was he not here? Hermione began to feel despair growing in her. Her life over the past few years, or weeks, depending on your viewpoint, had been insane. She had kissed Harry to time travel, thinking she loved him, and that he loved her.

But now he seemed to be playing with her.

It was in this state, as she collapsed on the ground, that Hermione missed the wall opposite the door shimmer out of view as several friends screamed to her.

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMIONE!"

The entire group came up short as they saw Hermione look up with tears on her eyes. As they fell on Harry, there was an angry smile on her face. She stood up and stormed over to him.

And she punched his shoulder. Some of the group winced from the sound of the flesh on flesh contact. Harry just stood there before holding his arms open. Hermione, now smiling even brighter through her tears, threw herself into his arms.

"You jerk!"

"I know."

"I've never had a party before."

"I know." His acknowledgement, made Hermione look down into his chest, she felt sadness creeping in at his knowing that. She felt a finger gently cup her chin and draw her face to his.

"Hermione, this is a party to celebrate you. Because you deserve it. Because I need you to know how important you are, how special you are." Harry was whispering in her ear as he pulled her close now. Others began to shift away to give the two their moment. All except for Luna who looked on with her own wet smile.

"Hermione Granger, you have been everything to me for several years now, but I was too stupid to know it. I did not know what love was. But I do know this." He pulled back to gently kiss her here before continuing. "I know that without you, I have no life. Could I not see you and talk to you, there would be no point in my going on." As she opened her mouth to speak, Harry once more kissed her. Some of the others, not time travelers, noted this was not a kiss seen between two eleven-year-olds, but let it slide. Harry and Hermione had already proven to be…well…unique.

"Hermione, I told you what happened when I died, but you need to know what happened right before."

"I know." Now it was her statement bringing him up short. He looked in her eyes, clearly confused.

"You…do?"

"Harry, I don't know how, but I saw everything. I saw your reaction. I saw you try to end it. But promise me something?"

"What?"

"First, never to keep me from fighting." She placed a finger on his lips, already seeing his protest. "Yes, I know you want to keep me safe, and I'm sure you want to keep all of us safe, but that is not my place and you know it." After several seconds of consideration, Harry asked.

"And second?" Hermione seemed to be fighting with tears herself now.

"And second, should I ever die, promise me you won't stop living?"

Harry felt his own tears coming. He laid his head on Hermione's shoulder. "How can you ask me that?"

Hermione carefully pulled back, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Because I love you, but I'm not the only one." After a few tense moments of staring and contemplation, Harry gave in. This drew a smile from Hermione. She knew she would still be fighting this battle for years to come, but it was a start. She glanced over his shoulder to see their friend milling around, some looking distinctly uncomfortable. Luna looked pleased, however. Hermione pulled herself from his embrace and grabbed his hand.

"Come on, though! Today it is my birthday and I get to spend it with friends!"

Only Harry knew of her past and knew it was the friends making this special, not the birthday.


	11. Chapter 11: Trouble Brewing

The two weeks between Hermione's and Luna's birthday's passed quickly. Harry had worked with Parvati and Susan to ensure that Padma and Anemy's birthdays would not be coming soon as he planned something for his blond, silver eyed soul mate. Quidditch practices were beginning to kick in and Oliver Wood was as intense as ever. Harry was also facing hour long sessions four days a week with Professor Flitwick following dinner. It was exhausting, but he could feel his body adjusting.

Molly Weasley had stopped by in person to remove Ron from a Breakfast on Saturday and the boy had not returned until Sunday Dinner. For the glares he sent toward Harry, He found himself challenged. Harry had been expecting the normal Molly Weasley Howler, but she had managed to keep this quiet somehow. That concerned him far more than anything ever coming out in a howler.

But all in all things had gone perfectly.

Well, things would have gone perfectly except for one thing.

Three days before Luna's birthday, there was a tense standoff between Ron and the other Slytherins as well as Harry and the rest of Gryffindor. Draco, Tracey, and Blaise seemed to be the exceptions, though for differing reasons.

Ron had begun this Potions class, before Snape had arrived, by egging Harry on yet again about being friends with a real wizard. He was getting more creative in his insults now, something on Hermione's bookish nature, Neville's body mass, and Luna's creatures.

Ok, perhaps not creative really, but they were different than his last few taunts.

Harry and company were doing fine merely ignoring things until Ron got aggressive. The red-headed boy reared back and threw a punch directly at Harry's face. It was only years of fighting Dudley that kept Harry from being struck as he dropped under the punch and threw his weight against the taller boy.

This led to Ron falling back into Crabbe and Goyle and the rest of the class jumping up to one side or the other. Harry let out a sigh, knowing what was coming next.

As Harry anticipated, there was a rasping as Snape strode around the corner. Ron had yet to untangle himself from the oafs while Harry had his back to them, still on his feet.

"Potter! What did you do this time?"

"Nothing sir. I avoided getting hit and letting Mr. Weasley hit me again."

"Have you not already been spoken to about violence! That will be twenty points from Gryffindor and three nights of detention!"

The groans of unfairness as well as the sneering from Slytherin stopped as Tracey's voice rang out.

"Sir, if you plan on doing that to Harry it will only be fair to do the same to Mr. Weasley as he initiated the conflict. Harry simply stopped him from hurting anyone."

"He should have gotten a professor!" The now irate Potions instructor hissed at his student. Harry had to fight to hide his grin.

"Sir, if more than half the students here agree with Tracey, will you either follow her advice or remove my own punishment?" This declaration drew gasps, but after a quick glance around the room, Professor Snape agreed. He instantly wished he had not. Every single Gryffindor barring his godson moved to support Harry. On numbers alone, they were exactly half of the group. When Blaise, Tracey, and surprisingly to Harry, Daphne also moved in support of Harry, the overwhelming majority stood on Harry's side. With his face now purpling, Snape moved to stride into the classroom calling over his shoulder.

"Very well. Weasley, the same punishment for yourself!"

Ron's cries of outrage were ignored until the red-head turned to face Harry and stated in an angry voice.

"I challenge you to a Wizard's Duel Harry Potter!"

"He accepts and I will be his second!" Harry groaned as he heard the squeaky voice of the blond ponce should in support of him. Harry had hoped this experience would have been done with by the time he had changed things, but apparently not. Still, Harry felt he could shift things a bit and called out after professor Snape.

"Professor?"

Snape stopped. While he had heard everything, he had thought to let things run their course. Being involved was something new.

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

"I understand you were once a rather excellent duelist? As such, could you clarify certain rules for myself in regards to this challenge?"

The room froze. Snape, an excellent duelist? Harry knew this was a stretch. For all he hated Snape, it was not Snape's potion abilities nor his position which had made him a part of Voldemort's inner circle. You had to be one hell of a fighter to make it there. Harry would rather have involved Flitwick in this charade, but he knew waiting would cause too much damage for him to truly control the situation. Snape seemed to be considering him before acquiescing to his request.

"Go ahead Mr. Potter."

"Is it true that should my unnamed second decide to accept the challenge, I must fill it?" Harry missed the look of anger on Draco's face. He had not expected to be challenge on this. He was going to use this to get the Gryffindor Golden boy in trouble. After his experience with the twins, anything to damage or hurt Potter or his two whores was a good thing in Draco's mind. Apparently his look confirmed things for Snape.

"Yes Mr. Potter, it is true in this instance." Harry, while he knew this was wrong, nodded his acceptance.

"Indeed. And since Mr. Weasley offered the challenge, I in accepting get to name either the time or location?" Snape was beginning to like this. There were so many ways to get the boy in trouble now.

"Yes."

"Very well, we shall fight today immediately following lunch. Mr Weasley, would you be kind enough to name your location?" Harry knew Ron would not give up food and hoped that meant there was only one location Ron would name. Fortunately for Harry and unfortunately for both Snape and Draco, Ron did exactly that.

"The Great Hall!"

"As you wish Mr. Weasley. Have you named your second?" Once more an unexpected voice spoke up.

"I will be his second." Daphne was sending glares at Harry. Her voice ringing out and the look he gave him concerned Harry. He really had yet to make any headway with her and it was beginning to concern him. Still, he saw Ron already agreeing.

"Very well. Are you comfortable with Duel Master Flitwick overseeing our official Wizards Duel?" Harry was trying to recall his limited lessons and 'discussions' with Flitwick to ensure that this was either accepted or else shown to be a scam. He knew it was working when he noted the realization hit Snape that this would be official. Now Harry needed stakes to make it truly inescapable.

"As for the stakes…"

"Stakes?" Ron paled slightly. He knew he did not have much, but things were suddenly becoming challenging.

"Well of course, to keep either of us from just not showing up to duel. Let's see…should you win, perhaps you would appreciate myself doing your homework for a month?" Seeing Ron's eyes light up, Harry knew he had struck home. So he pressed his advantage.

"And should I win…let's see…well, not so much for me, but for the sake of your housemates, you will spend one month where all you are allowed to eat at meals is what will fit on one place prepared for you by Ms. Davis?"

All color left Ron's face at this declaration, but his housemates already seemed to like this idea. While Ron seemed to want to offer something else, Tracey spoke up, not wanting to look the gift horse in the mouth and hoping Harry was that good.

"Come on Potter, while I appreciate the thought, you really should actually take something if you manage to win." Her statement seemed to galvanize Ron.

"I accept!"

Snape had finally had enough.

"Very well, all of you to class, now!"

The next hour of class was…rough to say the least.

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Lunch was slow. Harry had hoped to move through the meal simply and quickly in order to progress straight through the fight. That said, he had overheard from Hermione the looks Draco had been giving him and Harry was sure he needed to find a way out of having Malfoy as his second. Generally, there had to be a purpose for trading out seconds. As time went on, Harry was becoming more and more concerned.

It was not really Ron or Draco which concerned him, however. It was Ron's second. Daphne, who from the looks of things, despised Ron as much as most of Hogwarts, let alone Slytherin, had jumped in immediately to support him.

Or did she just want a shot at Harry?

Harry was drawn from his thoughts by a clearing of the throat from the head table.

"Thank you everyone! I have been informed by professor Snape that a few of our students have agreed to a Wizard's Duel." Dumbledore waited for the mix of laughter and cheering to subside before continuing. "However, seeing as those can be quite dangerous, I was hoping to ask the party which began things if he might be willing to forfeit?" Silence settled over the hall as Dumbledore's pointed stare was directed at Harry. After a few minutes, Harry spoke.

"Is that directed toward me, professor? I apologize, I thought you said the cause of the duel. Since that was one Ronald Weasley, I would be more than willing to let him forfeit. Afterall, the consequences for him are rather minor."

"Minor!" Was Ron's indignant response from the Slytherin Table. Dumbledore cleared his throat once more to get the laughter that began under control.

"Indeed, but according to professor Snape-"

"Ah, I see. So once again Headmaster, you will be going on the word of one professor who has demonstrated to the majority of the school that he rarely admits the faults of his own house over the word of the entire class? Because there were 23 students there besides Professor Snape and myself, most of which I believe will side with me. As before, I'd be willing to offer an oath if that would help. Surely Professor Snape could do the same to prove his side?"

Harry's cutting off Headmaster Dumbledore in public brought gasps. His offering of an oath to prove himself over professor Snape brought laughter when everyone saw the look in Professor Snape's face. Most missed the look of frustration which settled over Dumbledore's face for a moment.

"Be that as it may, Mr. Potter, perhaps it is time to forgive?"

"Headmaster, I accepted my punishment from Professor Snape willingly, though I personally felt justified in defending myself. Ronald Weasley continued to cause insult and offered a challenge. As head of my family, even if not bearing the ring just yet, I am unable to back down as the challenge has been set and accepted by your own professor Snape."

This once more brought gasps, even from Dumbledore. The Headmasters gasp, however, was more for all that Harry seemed to know. This was unacceptable. But his thoughts were cut off as the diminutive Professor Flitwick Stood.

"Well reasoned Mr. Potter and I believe it would do us well to have a duel fought to demonstrate the etiquette you are presenting. Have you considered a referee?"

"Sir, Ronald and I have both agreed that, considering your credentials, we feel you would be the most acceptable candidate.'

"Now just a moment, as headmaster-"

"You have no say in this." Flitwick cut off Dumbledore's interruption. Dumbledore was many things, but Flitwick was one of the best formal duelists in the world, not to mention one hell of a fighter. And Dumbledore knew there was little chance of the small professor actually backing Dumbledore when another play stood open to him. The two had butted heads far too many times and Dumbledore had stood against goblin right just enough. After the moment stare down, Dumbledore gave in and Flitwick moved forward. He began waving his wand, causing tables to move and a platform to form.

"Very well, we shall have one sanctioned duel. Will the duelists and their seconds move forward?"

As Harry approached with Draco staying far behind, he saw Daphne and Ron rise from the other table. The odd collection of fighters caused murmurs to begin to move around the room. As the four entered the newly formed dueling arena, they gave Flitwick their undivided attention.

"Now then, which set of ru-"

"International, class A!" Ron declared. Harry groaned when he heard Malfoy respond from behind. "We accept!"

International class A was a nearly banned class. In International Class A Rules, anything not banned within the country in which the duel was fought was allowed. Often times, death occurred with International Class A. International Class B with Restrictions was the dueling standard for tournaments. International Class B with no restrictions was the level allowed for blood feud duels. Both had enough deaths within them to make dueling the deadliest professional sport in the world, considering the percentage of duelers which met untimely deaths.

International Class A had even less restrictions.

"Are…Are you sure Mr Weasley? Mr Potter?" Harry noted that Flitwick addressed him which keeping a wary eye on Malfoy. Instantly both Weasley and Malfoy agreed once more, causing the platforms other three attendees to groan.

After the rules were explained and laid out, Harry and Ron moved to face one another. With the dueling shields raised, Flitwick began to count down. Just as he reached one, something shot out from Ron's robes which caught Harry's eye and distracted him. The small grey blob shot off the platform and Harry's reaction to it was all that saved him from the poorly done bombarda spell. In the dust which followed though, Harry lost sight of Wormtail. Harry's eyes turned hard and returned to Ron, anger coursing through him. This anger was pressing his cap on his magic. As Harry's eyes began to glow, Ron cast a stunner.

Should a normal Wizard have cast the stunner, Harry might have felt it. But in that instant, Harry's anger boiled over and the cap exploded. Suddenly, unknown to everyone, Harry's Hekas shot from their original capped amount to 195. Ron, on the other hand, was an exceptionally poor wizard with only around 100 Hekas. The stunner dissipated in the strength of the explosion, and the platform began to disintegrate. Before even Flitwick could react, Harry cast his own stunner at both Ron and Daphne, easily side stepping the same one cast from Daphne. That spell caught Draco in the chest, lifting him off his feet even as he had begun to raise his own wand against Harry.

Flitwick began trying to move forward to stop the fighting, but found himself stopped by another dueling shield formed within his original. As he moved to touch it, he was thrown violently backwards into his own shield, Draco and Ron soon following.

Daphne had managed to shield against Harry's stunner, though it took all her effort. When Harry had seen this, he cast his own set of dueling wards, one drawn from a combination of his own need, Hermione's expertise, and Voldemort's memories which bled over. This shield would hold nearly everyone else out. But Harry needed time with Daphne.

The blond looked at him and there was ice in her blue eyes. It contrasted nicely with the fire in his own green ones. At least it would have if not for the hatred flowing off of her.

As she regained her footing, spells began to fly. They started simple, stunners and disarming spells, but quickly grew to bone breaking and blood boiling. Then Harry saw the charm which had truly earned Daphne the title of Ice Queen.

She had developed her own charm which would freeze whatever it touched. And Daphne had managed to develop and the manipulate that spell to dangerous levels. She could hit a person with it and either turn them into an ice block, freeze some part of their body, or simply stop the body. Harry ad watched the same spell freeze the blood flowing in veins.

To his credit, Harry managed not t cast anything too dangerous. There were moments he considered a nice bludgeoning hex, but kept sending stunners.

It was a moment of pure luck where Harry attempted to redirect one of Daphne's own ice hexes back at her. He had never managed it with that particular hex before, but this time sent the silvery light back at her where it struck the ground at her feet. As Daphne lost her footing on the ice, Harry cast a series of stunners until he heard the young lady collapse. While he could vaguely see through the dust, he waited for it to settle before moving forward to check on his troubled soul mate.

As he reached her, Harry leaned down and carefully lifted the stunned girl into his arms. As her skin contacted his, fate set a bit of her own magic to work and transferred Daphne's memories for Harry to experience.

Harry Saw Daphne as she had seen him, a young sad looking boy. She would not have given him a second thought until she saw his eyes. The brilliant green looked different. Where he was a small, undernourished, sad looking child, the eyes expressed energy, strength, power.

Daphne had spent the next few year trying to figure him out. She had worn the Potter stinks badge, not as a protest of him, but to get a reaction. She was disappointed when he only reacted to Malfoy. In her fifth year, she had realized that even with as little as she knew, she wanted more. She wanted to be his friend. There was something driving her, calling her to him. And so she had acted on it.

And been thoroughly rejected by Ron, whom Harry had openly claimed as his best mate. More than that, Ron had called her a Slytherslut. That name rubbed her the wrong way. It built an angry fire in her that could not be quenched.

And in that moment she had given up on Harry. If Harry couldn't be her friend, no one could.

She had joined the inquisitorial squad. She had become a true and utter brat to her current friends, even driving off Tracey and Blaise.

She had been used and abused in all kinds of ways and worked hard to develop her newest hex just to stop that. It made Ron's insult hurt even more.

She had bought in to what Voldemort was selling, not because she believed it. Hell, she thought he was a moron as well, but he was against him.

Which him she meant, Harry or Ron though, had begun to change.

Before her death, she had despised anything and everything to do with the Green-eyed one.

But her memories from just before the kiss and returning, not to mention his actions since had challenged her. She found herself thinking on her previous life and desperately wanting to hate Harry Potter.

But she found she couldn't.

As Harry came out of all of this, He looked down as those blue eyes began to open.

Harry was captivated by those blue eyes. He saw a passion and caring there which he wanted to know more of. He wanted to share with and connect with Daphne.

Then those eyes turned hard and Harry felt his heart breaking.

"Let me go, you monster."

As Harry felt his emotions crashing down on him, he let the blond Slytherin leave. As he collapsed, his own dueling wards fell and Flitwick, Hermione, and Luna all rushed forward, followed closely by the staff and the rest of their study group. Tracey and Blaise latched on as Daphne began to stagger. Harry, however, was so lost in his own thoughts that he barely heard her mention that Harry won hands down using just stunners.


	12. Chapter 12: The Aftermath

As Harry was moved to the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey and Professor Flitwick, Dumbledore and Professor McGongall had to remain on hand to deal with the fallout in the Great Hall. No one had seen much of anything in the duel. As the match began, a bright light had lit up the massive room and as people's eyes cleared for them to see, the dueling shields were filled with dust. By the time everything settled, Daphne was waking in Harry's arms while the other two combatants were being envenerated by the Charms Professor.

And then everyone saw the Slytherin Ice Princess, already developing her title, whisper something to the Gryffindor Golden Boy before shoving herself out of his arms. She moved to collapse in the arms of Tracey and Blaise, letting everyone know how he won. Not that anyone needed to hear it. The shields protected them from the spells and debris, but they were not sound proof. Everyone had heard the spells thrown by Daphne, Ron, and the start of a spell by Draco. They had also heard nothing but stupefys from Harry.

Harry, on the other hand, looked lost, adrift in an open sea, before simply fainting dead away.

The silence which hung in the air was deafening. The room felt as if it could collapse in on itself with that weight. Professor Flitwick and madam Pomfrey's robes as they moved were the only thing which could be heard outside of a few shuddering sobs that no one could identify the owners of.

That silence shattered the second Harry passed out of the doors.

The explosion of noise and excitement brought the remaining professors back from their stupor. It took a few canon blast from Dumbledore's wand to reign in the student body. While most of the room was thrilled for the display they had just missed, certain parties reacted differently.

Hermione and Luna clung desperately to one another. They had both experienced an explosion like that from Harry once before, even if only as spirits. There was no telling what would or could emerge from that expansion of power. And on top of that, Harry was hurt. This was an idea that did not sit well with either Bond Mate. It was a feeling shared by two other witches whose brown and grey eyes still faced the door Harry had left.

Daphne was being supported solely by Tracey and Blaise, lost in reviewing the duel. She had been doing well she felt, keeping him on the run for much of the duel. The explosion had thrown her off as had his first stunner, but she had felt that was just overpowered by some odd emotion of having the fight the red-head. Daphne was a rather powerful young witch, probably growing up to be somewhere in the mage range, even if only a minor mage.

Therefore, she was beyond shocked when Harry did not only bat her hex aside, but completely redirected it back at her. The ground below her froze and her solid dueling stance collapsed. She threw up her strongest shield, but the following stunners were too much. The first two shattered her shield. She only knew five stunners had been thrown because of what Tracey had told her.

She had awakened in his arms and at that moment saw a compassion and caring she had never felt from anyone before. She wanted nothing more to share another kiss with him. But her past was still fighting. And the look on his face when she called him a monster?

The Ice Queen felt her own heart break.

Tracey, Blaise, Neville, Parvati, Susan, and Hannah all sat on watching various friends of their study group react in these odd ways and felt truly confused. Parvati was still lost, knowing Harry had a soul bond with Luna but seeing how he cared for the others. Tracey and Blaise were worried about their blond friend and her violently oxymoronic reactions to the green-eyed seeker. Susan and Hannah were concerned for a friend who had just been put through a ringer, both well aware of what the explosion was. Neville was lost himself on how to react, but wanted to help his friend.

Professor McGongall wanted desperately to go see her young Lion. She knew chaos was ensuing that wild duel and felt it was foolish for the young man to agree to such a monstrosity, but he had handled himself well and carried himself with dignity through the situation. She knew, however, that Filius and Poppy would care for him well and then, after both of them had torn into him, she could have her turn.

Professor Snape was shocked. He had not seen what was happening beneath the shields, but the power represented confused him. It was young, but the potential was extreme. Snape himself was a minor Mage, it was a factor alongside his skill which had made him an invaluable part of Voldemort's Inner Circle. The strength he felt within that circle, when fully matured, would easily outstrip either Dumbledore or Voldemort. Assuming that power was allowed to mature. And how the hell had Potter suddenly shown that level of magical potential!

Professor Dumbledore was worried. He had felt the strain on his own magic when Harry broke the cap. He could easily replace it and wipe memories of individuals such as Pomfrey. Flitwick would be a tad touchier. The damned half-goblin had been a thorn in his side for a very long time. Always standing in his way when he could. Couldn't the older Charms professor simply understand and agree that Dumbledore, as the leader of the Light knew what was best?

This time, however, the reapplication of the cap would be nigh on impossible. The explosion had been seen by the entire student population, not to mention the staff. There was no telling how many would know what that was.

Yes, what to do with young, troublesome, Mr. Potter.

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"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I did the test myself during his first class."

"But then how can he have grown that much?"

Flitwick gave the healer a look. She knew, just as well as he. And both knew there was only a handful of wizards strong enough to maintain such a cap, especially since Harry had this level of power.

"Fine, maybe you're right, but really? Albus?"

"Poppy, you know caps as well as I. Who alive, let alone in this school could maintain a cap which had been there for quite some time based on my knowledge of Magicae Video. Considering his power level, it would take exceptional strength to maintain that cap, even as Mr. Potter is learning first-year spells."

The two staff members sat in silence, observing the young man.

Poppy had gotten to know his father quite well. The young man had visited her in the Hospital Wing far too often for his own good. She was only in her third year at the school when James Potter started terrorizing the school with his group of friends. She had grown to deeply care for James Potter as well as Lilly Potter. She herself had served as their healer for the pregnancy and birth of Harry Potter. Albus, of course, had sworn her to secrecy for the sake of the young man. She did not truly understand why, but this was Albus Dumbledore. He was the Leader of the Light. If he asked, you did it knowing it would be for a good reason.

Yet as she sat here, learning from Flitwick about the cap, she felt confused. If Albus had in fact placed the cap, he could very well have killed the boy, not to mention the regular damage that goes with not regularly exercising the full extent of one's magical core.

Flitwick was lost looking at his young protégé. He had come to care deeply for the boy in recent weeks. It was difficult for his goblin side to admit, but the boy had connected to him as no one else, not even his mother.

Many made the mistake of assuming Flitwick was close to Lilly Potter nee Evans. He probably was one of her favorite professors, he would admit, but their relationship had become strained during her mastery. The war was going on and Lilly fell deep into Albus' camp, right alongside her husband. Flitwick's feelings of the old headmaster, which he made known to the young woman, had begun to drive a wedge between them.

That did not mean he did not weep when he heard of her death.

So Flitwick had been more than thrilled to share stories about Harry's mother during their discussions. And Harry seemed to eat them up. He seemed rather well aware of his father, but his mother it seemed he knew nothing about, even having grown up with Lilly's sister!

At the moment, however, Flitwick was torn. He was glad Harry had won without harming anyone. But the care he had for this young man made him incredibly angry at the stupidity involved in this situation.

Yes, Professor Flitwick would have his reckoning with young Harry Potter.

The Matron and Professor were pulled from their thoughts as the Deputy Headmistress entered the Ward.

"How is he?" The warmth and concern in her voice threw the other two adults off. They were not used to such displays of affection from the stern Scott. Both knew, however, how close she had been to James and Lilly for that matter. Minerva had been James' godmother and was best friends with Harry's Grandmother, Dorea. In fact, it was the two of them who had found her crying in her apartment with not only the news of their death but the oath required by the headmaster in regards to talking with Harry about them. It was the lowest either had seen their friend.

"Alive and well, not to mention now uncapped."

"Uncapped?"

"Apparently some idiot has been capping his magical core for years. He began the year showing 121 Hekas. After that duel, he is now registering 195." Professor Flitwick's announcement shocked McGongall. That level of strength was unheard of in one so young. Capping it was just cruel, particularly if the cap had exploded later in life. Then the numbers registered with the Transfiguration mistress. There was only one person she knew strong enough to maintain, let alone cap that size of a magical core. The looks on her friends faces confirmed they had already reached that conclusion. There was a lost sadness in Poppy's face and a grim acceptance in Filius'.

"Surely not…I mean…He wouldn't." Minerva's statements came out in broken tones, almost more like questions.

The three settled into silence, lost in their own thoughts.

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As the professors were lost to their own thoughts, Harry was slowly coming to awareness. As he did, he was considering what life had become for him. He knew he had lifted his cap, he could feel his magic in ways not possible until his very last seconds of his previous life.

Harry considered what had led to his reactions in the first place during the duel. Wormtail.

As Harry thought about Wormtail, he suddenly remembered he had yet to do anything for Sirius. That would never do. But what could he do. He had no access to Ron nor 'Scabbers' and his only possible support there thought of him as a monster.

That thought truly hurt. He had been working so hard, loving having Padma, Anemy, Luna, and Hermione in his life, that it truly hurt to see that look of anger in her face. Harry wanted nothing more than to just have Daphne as his friend. At the moment, however, it seemed that was not only unlikely, but impossible.

And that meant Sirius was, for the moment, still an evil man who had betrayed Harry and his parents.

But Sirius was alive!

Harry suddenly show up in bed, tears openly flowing. Sirius was alive. As was Hedwig, Hagrid, both sets of twins, Cedric, all of them. Padma, Anemy, Daphne, Luna, and Hermione. Every single person. They were alive.

Harry's sobs broke through the silence which had settled over the professors. All three rushed to his side, Pomfrey immediately casting her diagnostic spells.

"How are you feeling, Harry?"

"I'm fine." The skeptical looks shared, which Harry happened to catch, demonstrated their lack of faith in his answers. Further discussion was cut off, however, as the doors to the wing swung open.

"Ah! Harry, My Boy! I am glad you took my advice and were not violent in that duel."

The words brought looks of shock to Pomfrey and Minerva's faces, while the looks in both Harry and Filius' hardened. Dumbledore seemed to recognize none of this.

"Unfortunately that was still very dangerous. While I do not feel you should be punished in this instance," This brought a mix of gasps and guffaws from the other occupants of the room, "I will have to do so should anything like this happen in the future."

"Yes Headmaster." Harry ground through his teeth. With the warning, future duels could end with an appropriate response being detention should he find himself in one ever again. Dumbledore seemed ready to continue before Pomfrey decided it was enough.

"Yes Headmaster. Mr. Potter needs to recover for now, however. Should you need to speak to him it will not be in my ward while he is recovering. Good day!" Taking the hint, Minerva and Filius also stood to remove themselves from the Ward, leaving Dumbledore no excuses. With a frustrated sigh, the headmaster turned to leave, trying to strike up a friendly conversation with the two professors. He missed the cold feeling underlying their responses.

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Harry was only in the Ward for one afternoon and night. He was back in class the next day and a day later he was back into his routine. This was the issue. At this moment he was diving through the most intense, insane workout that Filius had yet to give. His body burned, but Filius was a stern task master. Well, usually he was. The look in his eyes informed Harry there was more to it than this. Harry really did not have time for this. Tomorrow was Luna's birthday and he needed to prepare for that. Harry had also read some things recently in his Mother's Journal which had him wanting to speak with the suddenly reserved professor. As Harry collapsed yet again, Flitwick came over and sat beside him, stoic and silent.

Finally, the small professor's voice broke the quiet.

"Why did you do it, Mr. Potter?" Harry could hear the frustration. Flitwick was disappointed in him. Flitwick had not called him Mr. Potter during their sessions in weeks. And Harry found that having the professor disappointed in him hurt. He did not want to let this man down. After a few deep breaths, Harry began.

"Professor, I would like to first offer my apologies. You have given me a great deal of instruction and care, which were I would not be standing here today were it not for. I cannot express my appreciation enough." Harry paused. Flitwick seemed to be considering his words before nodding his reluctant acceptance. Harry took this as a sign to continue.

"While it was my intention to manipulate things, it was my own stupidity which led to the situation."

"What do you mean Mr. Potter?"

Harry went on to explain the situation he had found himself in, including the involvement of Professor Snape and how it had backfired in some ways, placing him at the center of attention. Filius listened mostly, asking questions as necessary. As Harry finished, there was a thoughtful scowl on the professors face. Finally, he turned to face Harry, a powerful look on his face.

"Mr. Potter. I am disappointed in your actions, regardless of the intent. Should you ever take such actions again, without considering and acting on all I have imparted to you during our time together, I will consider this arrangement terminated. Is that understood?" Harry had never felt so small as he did in that moment. No one he had ever known could tear him down with so few words while seeming so calm. Vernon never managed it with his screaming and purple face. Dumbledore never managed it with his sad sigh and going dark talk. Molly didn't manage it even when he had viewed her as a mother figure. Feeling tears trying to form in his own eyes, Harry nodded as he did not trust his voice.

Flitwick watched for another moment, trying to get his point across before nodding and then he smiled.

"All that said, Harry, that was an incredible duel. You handled yourself with grace and ease and I am honored to have the opportunity to train you in your physical education." The grin and joke made Harry feel much better.

"Thank you Professor." Then Harry remembered his mother's journal. "Professor, how well did you know my mother?" Harry watched Flitwick tense. It was almost nonexistent, but Harry caught it.

"Why do you ask, Harry?"

"I found her journal. She talked about you quite a bit. Then it suddenly started to drop off. But it was odd. The next to last entry, she mentioned you again. Not much, but it seemed important." Harry watched a look which he could not quite identify settle into the Charms Masters eye before he continued. "She said, 'Filius, I am so sorry. You were right and I was so cruel. Should I survive this coming storm, I just hope you can ever forgive me.' Any thoughts, sir?"

Harry watched a series of emotions cross the professors face. Finally, the old professor let out a sigh.

"Quite, Harry. I am well aware of what your mother was discussing. She and I were rather close at one time. She even began her charms mastery under me. But my…disregard, I suppose, for the brilliance of a particular headmaster drove a wedge between us. Your mother was a part of the war on the side of the Light. As a goblin, I did not involve myself beyond defending the school. My…thoughts, on the headmaster were considered unwelcome and we had a few words during our final meeting. Do not get me wrong, Harry, your mother was a brilliant, caring, wonderful woman. The war placed all of us in a bad situation." There were tears in his eyes by the time he finished.

As the two settled down, they began to chat. Harry heard more stories about his mother, and in the process learned more about his trainer. Professor Flitwick had been a professor at Hogwarts nearly as long as Dumbledore. In fact, he had taught McGongall during her final two years as a student. This confused Harry as to why Flitwick was not either the headmaster or at least deputy.

Flitwick had gone on to explain that about a year before the previous deputy had retired, the Wizengamot had suddenly passed a law requiring the school leadership be fully human. Flitwick did not hold McGongall's position against her, but it had hurt him to be overlooked. He also felt it strangely suspicious that the Dumbledore led legislative body had suddenly done that during the second meeting after the deputy announced his retirement.

The two talked right until dinner was set to begin. Harry said his goodbye's, dashing off to see his friends. He left a very contemplative Half goblin behind. After a few more minutes, the professor smiled and looked after Harry.

"I forgive you Lilly. And he really is a good man."


	13. Chapter 13: Luna's Birthday

Luna woke on her birthday with a sad smile on her face. She had seen all the effort Harry had put into Hermione's birthday. She did not expect that level of commitment from him. Honestly, she was still unsure of what she felt for him.

Ok, not really. As Luna considered her previous life.

She had been held back a year, forcing her to join Ginny' year a year late for Hogwarts. This had been allowed due to her father's schedule and the history of her family. Her daddy hadn't even really gotten a say in the end. The decision was made by Professor McGongall based almost solely on Molly Weasley's recommendation.

When she had started, Luna thought she would have at least one friend. Ginny had been a friend, even if a distant one in recent years. She did not even get to see the young red-head in the summer leading up to finally starting Hogwarts. Instead of having a friend, Luna had spent her train ride to Hogwarts hiding in the bathroom when some really rude third years made several mean comments. Luna was brighter than her housemates had given her. She knew their goal was to get her to leave the compartment. Unfortunately, Luna did not have the guts to try and enter another one, so she had hidden in the bathroom.

Getting sorted into what Professor McGongall had described as her new family was supposed to be wonderful. That dream ended on night one when those same third year girls had stepped in, happening to be in the same house, and continued their making fun. It was hidden well enough from the upper years at the time, but the younger years immediately began to avoid her. The only one who did not was Padma Patil, but she was an outsider in the house enough herself at the time which it did not matter. Padma still had friends, though, between her sister and Su Li.

So Luna was distanced from others. Her Birthday had been an incredible day when she was younger. Her mother and daddy always made it special. The expeditions they took her on were the happiest times in the young witch's life.

Then her mother had died and her father, unable to handle the loss himself, began losing his grip on reality. He had become obsessed with the Hallows as well as his creatures for the Quibbler. It had been a respectable magazine before. At least as respectable as a conspiracy theory wrapped in creative wording aimed at destroying the ministry can be. It had been her father's fight against the outcome of the first war. But her mother was the driving force. When she died, it ruined him.

Luna had tried desperately to cling to her father, even going along with his creatures. But in school, it became a defense against the teasing and cruelty. The ignoring it allowed her to think it did not happen which made it easier to handle.

She had survived the chaos of first year mostly because she was lost in not breaking down. Second year was the Sirius Black nonsense. Her father had covered that long ago when he was still up to the task and she knew the ministry was covering something up in that process. She figured it had to be Black's innocence, something just confirmed as she got to know Harry and his friends.

Third year was the tournament. Unfortunately, it was also the year her tormentors gained power. They now had connections to the prefects and her teasing became more obvious. The limited support she had from classmate vanished with that. The only one who still stood up at all was Padma, but the tormentors learned quickly how to hide it from the Indian Witch. And No one had invited Luna to the Ball, something which she had not expected but it still hurt, especially when Neville had invited Ginny.

As fourth year began, Luna thought she was at the end. She had put enough time in that she could probably complete her fifth year studies and sit her OWLS this year. That would allow her never to return to these tortured halls. One benefit of being so separate. So much time to study.

But a magical thing had happened. Somehow. Somewhere. She had discovered the enigma that was Harry Potter. The boy had swept in and turned her carefully constructed defenses on their side. And he had stood up for her, something she was not used to. It made her proud to stand beside him later. It also made her decide to return to Hogwarts.

Fifth years was odd, but not as bad. Luna suddenly found herself with friends. It was great. Until the end and the chaos which would have been sixth year. The trials she had gone through had broken the poor young witch. The experiences in the Malfoy Manor alone were enough to make Luna think she could never be in the same room as a boy again. What no one outside of one trusted other knew was that since returning, she had cried herself to sleep most nights. It was by pure accident Hermione had found out and offered to hold her. Luna had gladly accepted, tears of thanks in her eyes as she remembered the bushy haired witch being awkward and kind.

And all of this left Luna in a quandary. Luna trusted Harry. She loved him. He was the reason she had escaped from that Manor. He was the reason she was not dead. He was why she was currently sitting at Hogwarts as opposed to suffering another year alone. He was the reason that she was not alone in her suffering from her memories, having Hermione there willing and ready to help. Luna knew she cared deeply for him. She also had a pain anytime she thought about it.

She was scared to love Harry. Ever since her mother had passed, Luna had never admitted to loving anyone beside her daddy. The idea intimidated her a bit. And since she had left for Hogwarts, she had not had a birthday. Since her mother died, she did not have one to remember.

With these thoughts heavy on her mind, Luna pulled herself to her feet. She was surprised to find Hermione standing there with a Cheshire cat grin on her face. The brunette pulled Luna into a massive hug. It was not quite the bone crushing ones which she was known for, but it was tight and warm and Luna appreciated it. As she wiped away the tears and stepped back, she knew she could make I through today. She then went and got ready.

A short time later found Hermione and Luna in their usual positions waiting for one Harry Potter. The young man in question quietly joined them just a few minutes later. After a quick peck for Hermione, he moved to Luna who was stirring from her catnap. He waited until she noticed him before asking if he could sit beside her. This was new to Luna since they generally left immediately for Breakfast when he arrived. With a question in her eyes, she nodded. As Harry sat, he faced her and took her hand.

Luna tensed for a moment. She did not intend for it to happen, but it did. To his credit, Harry did not fight it and left his grip loose enough for her to easily remove her hand. When she did not, he gently began rubbing the pad of his thumb on the back of her hand. Luna's eyes were focused on his hand. Then she drew her eyes to his. He was smiling at her.

"We have quite a day ahead of us." He let out a small laugh at the confused look on her face. He leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to pull away. He could sense the conflicting emotions in her face, so instead he paused and drew her hand to his lips, placing a kiss on the back. "You didn't think I would forget your birthday, did you my little moon?" Luna tensed at the action and his words. There were tears forming in her eyes.

Little Moon had been her mother's name for her. She had only ever told Harry about it as they were recovering at the Shell Cottage. And finally, after a great deal of talking, He had asked permission to use that name for her. Luna had no idea why at the time, but she acquiesced and agreed.

"My Birthday?" Luna whispered, not trusting her voice.

"Well of course Luna, it is a day all about my favorite reporter, one of my best friends, my first kiss or hug in this timeline, not to mention my favorite blond Gryffindor." Seeing the tension edge back up a bit, Harry decided to go for broke. "Luna, I was hoping you and I could share a picnic breakfast this morning. I also have a party planned for you later, but I can cancel that if you prefer. This is your day; hence I want to make you happy."

Luna looked up with tears in her eyes. The smile breaking on her face made Harry wonder which way this would go. After a moment, he found out.

"Thank you Harry. I have not had a birthday in so long. I would like a party. And I would not mind breakfast with you." She turned her smile to Hermione. "Will you be joining us?" The bushy haired with smiled back.

"Only if you want me to." Luna seemed to think about this for several minutes before focusing on Harry once more.

"If it is ok, I would like to try just us." Harry stood and offered his arm.

"As you wish, my little Moon." Luna's giggle and standing led both to miss Hermione's growing smile. Harry needed this, but he was not the only one. The failures with Daphne and the trouble he felt he caused everyone had placed Harry in a dark place. Luna's place was no better. Hermione had held the crying witch just last night as the dozed off.

She just hoped Harry could get through.

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Thirty minutes later found Harry and Luna on a blanket with a basket of food. Luna had been expecting a traditional Hogwarts breakfast and was therefore surprised when Harry removed pudding from the basket, offering it to her.

"Well it is your birthday. As such, my goal is to give you more pudding than even you can manage to eat!" Was his response to her questioning look. With a whoop of excitement, Luna dove in. The two settled easily back in to their shared companionship of loss they had found while recovering at Shell Cottage. The two talked about everything and nothing. He felt Luna slowly opening up until they heard laughter from across the lake. They were well secluded, but both could still see out. Harry looked out and saw Marcus Flint and his friends wandering down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. He also noted the tense look on Luna's face. Taking a chance, he opened his arms, hoping she would accept.

In a flash, Luna was wrapped around him, but still seemed to be collapsing in on herself. Harry pulled her close, gently resettling her into his lap and resting his head on hers.

"Easy, my Little Moon. No one will ever do that to you again. No one will touch you if you don't want. I will make sure of that. If you let me, I promise to do everything in my power to protect you. And no matter what I promise to always love you." Harry said the final statement, meant for himself. It was quiet and as he sat there rocking her he felt as if Luna had fallen asleep.

He was wrong.

"What?!" Her outburst had led her tension to return in an instant. Harry relaxed his arms so she could leave if she wanted and moved back. He saw the look in her eyes. There was hope mixed with fear. Terror and anger reigned, trying to kill off the happy young wonderful lady she could become. Harry stared right back, willing everything he felt for her into that gaze.

"Luna Celeste Lovegood, understand this right now, even if all we ever are is friends, even if you never want to talk to me again, even if sitting in the same room scares you beyond belief, I will love you. Even if you don't love me, it doesn't matter. I have spent too long letting love escape me and that changes now. You are special to me, but I'm not the only one that feels that way. So I will do anything I can to protect you, not because you need it but because I need you to know how much I love you."

Luna sat there. The strength and power in his declaration left her breathless. It also seemed to do other things that no eleven…twelve-year-old wanted to be feeling just yet. Sue she was in the midst of puberty, but considering where her thoughts were just moments ago…He had dragged her from that terror with a look and his words had struck her. Everything inside of her screamed for her to accept it, to jump into his arms and love him back, but she was held back. As his gaze softened, Harry continued.

"I love you Luna, and nothing is going to change that. But my first instinct is to hold you or hug you when I see you. Blame that on Hermione, she introduced me to hugs and I just can't get enough. If me doing so is not what you want, please tell me. I never want to make you uncomfortable."

Luna sat once more lost in her thoughts. She did care for Harry. Deeply. Desperately. And his words and actions had touched her life in so many wonderful ways. Finally, she realized she needed to sort things out herself. Luna carefully stood, not looking at him.

"Can…Can we talk about that later? I think we need to get to class."

Harry carefully stood up, nodding his acceptance. He was worried he had really screwed up even more until Luna took his hand.

The rest of the day seemed to crawl along as the students passed through classes, right on to dinner. Following dinner sound them once more in the room of requirements, this time for Luna's birthday.

Harry had been true to his promise and every meal offered pudding in abundance and in numerous varieties. Luna had to admit she was approaching having too much. Not that she would tell anyone out loud.

The party had been delightful as had all of the friends. Luna had a tearful smile on her face throughout and everyone seemed honestly delighted to spend time with her. As the evening drew to a close, Luna noted that Harry had distanced himself from her a bit. She looked over and saw him in a corner.

She considered his own life, or at least the parts the two had talked about. He had not had a good life. For all it was, he should be nearly as broken as she felt if not more.

And then it hit Luna. Considering Harry's past, he was blaming himself for her. With a determined glint in her eye, Luna marched over and pulled Harry aside to speak. Harry was shocked by her actions.

"Harry Potter, tell me, whose fault is it we are back in time?"

"Mine."

"And Whose fault is it we have our memories back?"

"Mine." His face was settling lower and lower each time he answered. Luna reached out, forcing him to look at her. Silver met Green for her next question.

"And who was my first real friend at Hogwarts? Who saved me this very year on the Hogwarts express? Who saved me from that damned mansion? Who threw me my first birthday party-" Luna broke of, gasping as the tears attempted to fight through. She pushed them back to finish. "Who threw me my first birthday party since mommy died?" She attentively reached out and pulled the tense wizard into a hug. "You Harry. Every single one of those wonderful things in my life were because of you."

"Yeah, but-" She cut him off with a finger on his lips. They were still staring into one another's eyes, neither noticing Hermione, Padma, and Anemy watching them out of the corner of their eyes.

"Yes, but it is my birthday. You said some very big things to me this morning. You said you love me. Is that true?" The frightened girl was back, slightly scared of what would come out of Harry in this moment. There were tears forming in his eyes as well as he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"Always and forever, my Little Moon. You have a special place in my heart."

"Then always do that. Hug me, hold me, sometimes I might even let you kiss me." The last was said with a devilish grin showing through. The two took a moment to get their emotions and tears back under control. Once more tentatively, Luna reached up on her toes. She was about half a head shorter than Harry, so it took a bit of stretching. She carefully pressed her lips against Harry's, the boy frozen. After a few seconds, where Luna was worried he would not kiss her back, he finally gave in and the two shared a kiss wrapped in emotion. They separated for a moment, long enough for Luna.

"I love you too Harry Potter." Once more their lips met, but this time in a playful peck. "And I still say we are going to make very very pretty babies one day."

The two settled into careful giggles, enjoying the feel of one against another. Hermione, Anemy, and Padma all smiled in response as well. It seemed a bit more healing was coming along.

The experiences of Hogwarts would settle down for a few weeks. Routines continued as did class and training.

Right until Halloween.

 **A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and feedback. Some are kind, letting me know you enjoy the story. Some are constructive and challenge me to remember the direction I had planned to go or sometimes giving me a new direction for elements. Some are meant to be rude and remind me I have yet to write the perfect story which everyone will enjoy, driving me to keep writing. So Thank you all!**

 **As a side, those concerned about either an OP Harry or the situation with Daphne, please keep reading. Year one is mostly about building the characters. Trials and Tribulations will occur!**


	14. Chapter 14: Halloween, Part I

Harry woke on Halloween with a headache. He had come to dread this day. Early on in his life, it hadn't meant much. During his time at the Dursley's, it was nothing more than a time when Dudley got some new outfit, threw a fit when someone else's looked cooler or fit better, got lots of candy, and went on a sugar rush to end all sugar rushes.

When he had come to Hogwarts the first time, he had learned that it was the day his parents died. Unfortunately, at the time all that really meant to him was it was the day he was confined to the Dursley's, seeing as he did not know anything about his parents. It was still a miserable day which everyone else seemed to love.

Then the troll happened. Talk about bittersweet. In the span of a few minutes, Harry had gone from a terrible situation to saving the life of his best friend who, as it turned out, was also his soul mate. For that reason alone, Harry's first Halloween back in the Wizarding world could have been worth it. But also for that same reason, it almost was not. It was the one thing Harry had every truly regretted, not standing up more for Hermione during those first few months.

Harry had come to learn, during their time on the hunt, just how miserable young Hermione had been that September and October. A young, impressionable witch who had never had a friend in her life had come to the world of magic hoping to find…well, friends rather than magic. She hoped to find people who would like her for her, not to try and use her. Instead she was made fun of, teased, and called terrible names.

And Harry hadn't said a word.

No matter what happened in the long run, Harry could never forgive himself for not standing up for her. And as he had come to know the incredible person and devoted friend she grew into, he hated himself even more.

But his pity party from that first Halloween was the least of his worries. From then on, Harry learned more about his parents. As such, the day came to represent a loss he had never known. It is bad enough to lose what you know, but to have to wonder all the channels of 'what is', particularly when surrounded by all of the wonderful tales told by their friends, it made Harry's heart hurt for the family he had never known. No matter what Molly Weasley had come to mean to him, it was not his mother's hug. As much as he respected Arthur, loved Remus, and adored Sirius, their advice and support was merely that. It was as close as you could get to a father without getting a father.

They simply were not James and Lilly Potter.

And then came the rest of the trials and tribulations associated with Halloween. Harry initially being called the Heir of Slytherin. Then it was Sirius, then still considered a mass murderer, entering and terrorizing the Gryffindor Tower. After that came one of the darkest times in Harry's personal history besides the hunt: the Goblet of Fire.

Yes, Harry Potter, with good reason, hated Halloween. His only hope was that this year would be different. Harry would not let anything happen in which one Hermione Granger was teased and therefore ended up crying for hours in a girl's bathroom where a troll, let in as a distraction by Voldemort himself, attacked her.

Harry dragged his mind from these thoughts, shaking the weariness from his head as he stood. With a deep breath and back popping stretch, he grabbed his supplies to go get a shower and get dressed.

Half an hour later found Harry, once more deep in thought, making his way down stairs to the Gryffindor Common room. His mind was running over his bond mates. Hermione and Luna seemed to be enjoying themselves more or less. Luna was much brighter since her birthday and less jumpy. Well, at least around him. Padma had come to connect with him on a much deeper level than ever before. The two had managed to find time to sit and unload on one another from time to time over the past few weeks. Even Anemy was starting to open up to the black-haired seeker, though it was an ongoing process.

The only real issue still seemed to be his blue eyed bond mate. Daphne hated him. He had done everything except drag her off to demand answers. Tracey, Hermione, Luna, hell even Neville and Blaise noticed the tension and had asked the blond Slytherin about it. Not that any support seemed to break the ice Daphne was forming around herself. It was annoying to Harry, but more importantly it made him sad. When he had first been kissed by his bond mates, the feeling of completion and connection was astounding. Harry felt his magic trill with excitement. Watching the looks of horror and terror made him feel like an ass. All seemed to be healing, except for Daphne.

And worse, her attitude was affecting her friendships with the rest of Slytherin. Even Tracey and Blaise, try as they did, were feeling themselves being pushed harshly away by her. Harry hated, more than anything, that he was killing the friendships between the three. He had seen the rest of the group struggle with it. I mean, honestly, how was a seventeen-year-old Padma supposed to handle her interactions with an eleven-year-old Parvati?

All of this brought up other challenges Harry was still trying to figure out. Wormtail was now in a different dorm than him, his only access being a blond haired blue eyed woman who hated his guts. He couldn't ask any of his friends in Slytherin because that would require explaining things which, according to the contract, he could not. In addition, without Peter, there was no getting Sirius off. It would already be nearly impossible with the rat.

Then there were these inheritances which the goblins required him to visit to see in person. Harry had read much more of his parents' journals in hopes of gaining more insight, but it seemed neither had the opportunity to have such a test done themselves. Or if they did, it was not noted in the journals. That did not mean Harry did not enjoy reading them. The lessons offered were even better than Harry was finding throughout Hogwarts, and they came from his parents.

Which all brought him back to today…Halloween.

Harry was rocked from his thoughts as a bushy brunette and a blond crashed into him at full force, knocking the young Gryffindor to the floor. Harry caught the two and carefully rolled himself to land underneath them, landing with a thud. After the painful groan that followed, Harry noted the looks of concern filling the chocolate and silver eyes before them. Offering a crooked grin, he got smiles in response as each girl gave him a kiss.

"No matter what happens today, I love you." Hermione's voice whispered into his right ear.

"Same for me." Came Luna's musical tones from his left.

As Harry fought his own tears at these two knowing him so well, Harry heard a voice drawl from above him which instantly led the three to tense up.

"Come on Potter, have you no decency?"

The three quickly stood up to come face to face with the blond ponce himself. There was tension as a smirk spread across Draco's face.

"I mean, I understand Loony, she is at least a pureblood, might as well get some while you can, but the mud-"

Draco's voice suddenly stopped. Harry, who had been preparing to step in himself, came up short and turned to see the twins standing on the stairs, wands drawn with a shy looking Neville beside them. Harry noticed Draco's face turning purple as he began trying to scream. Harry grinned over at the red heads.

"Thanks you two, he really was getting boring."

"No problem-"

"-mate. But you really-"

"-should be thanking Neville. He's-"

"-the one who grabbed us soon as he saw-"

"-the almighty daddy's boy-"

"-heading your direction."

"Thanks Neville." Harry cut in, thanking Neville before the two could really get going. The two appeared to pout for a second before thinking better of it. They merely smiled and ran back up stair as Harry, Hermione, and Luna moved over to Neville. Draco attempted to follow, apparently not noticing that both twins had drawn their wands. While one had silenced him, the other stuck his shoes to the rug. There was a loud thud as he fell to the ground.

As Harry reached Neville, the two girls leaned in and kissed the pudgy boy on the cheek, offering their own thanks, before the group agreed to head for breakfast.

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

Harry was hoping he did not have much to be worried about. When charms, and the Wingardium Leviosa lesson passed without incident, Harry let out a sigh. This relief lasted until he arrived in DADA with the Slytherins.

Once more, Daphne was avoiding him. Tracey sat with her today while Blaise joined Harry. The teller boy kept his face stoic as he spoke.

"Harry, I'm starting to lose my mind. Daphne is a wonderful young lady, or at least she was. If she doesn't get over this soon, she is even going to lose Tracey and I."

Harry let out a deep sigh. He had been wondering if and when this would happen. His treatment of Daphne in the previous timeline had led her to ostracize herself from everyone. Whereas everyone feared Bellatrix because of her insanity and no idea what she would truly do, everyone knew exactly what Daphne would do. They just lacked the ability to stop her from doing it. And for that, she terrified people.

"I know Blaise. If she is still like this next week, we will figure out a way to stick her and I in a room until we work this out."

"She might just kill you if we do that." Blaise said with a slight smirk. The smirk faded when he heard Harry's muttered response.

"Yeah, she just might. And it would be well earned."

Before Blaise could offer his response or thoughts, Professor Quirrel was in front of the room lecturing. Today the students would be practicing the stinging hex as a way to prepare them for some of the future lessons.

And as the lesson went on, he heard voices he had hoped he would not. He heard Hermione go into lecture mode, informing someone how to do the spell properly. She was getting better at it this go around, but sometimes the lecturer still took over. And when Harry heard a voice respond, his stomach dropped.

"I got it, thanks." Ron spat back viciously.

Sure enough, as Harry came to the end of the lesson, he exited just in time to hear Ron complaining about Hermione to Crabbe and Goyle.

"I mean seriously, why is she here? No one likes her. She is just a bushy haired, buck toothed bookworm. The only reason anyone is friends with her is so she'll do their homework."

Harry waited until he saw Hermione tense before her grabbed her arm, Luna coming in from the other side to make sure she could not get away. Harry waited until Hermione's eyes, already filling with tears met his. He pushed every thought of care and love he had for the young witch into his eyes, hoping to portray how desperately he cared for her. At her nod and gentle smile, Harry grinned before turning back to face Weasley.

"Ron, I am her friend because she is a gorgeous, genuine, open person."

"Oh, and she needs you to fight for her?"

"No." Harry paused for a moment. He looked thoughtfully back at Hermione before turning his gaze back to Ron. His eyes were now glowing. "Though it would probably be more humane to let her deal with you. She would only kill you."

Harry let that statement hang in the air. The students around them had begun to mill, hoping to catch some action. Harry's phrase, when it registered, along with his glowing eyes led several of them to blanche. Harry did not care. Many already hated him due to Dumbledore's rumor. For Harry, none of that mattered. He had people who cared for and who loved him. And he was here to make sure bigotry and cruelty died with Voldemort.

The tension was broken by a smothered giggle. All eyes turned to Daphne Greengrass. With a grin of her own, she locked eyes with Harry.

"Didn't think you had it in you, Potter." Harry wasn't sure how to take that, but there did not seem to be malice in her words. It seemed she might be ready to talk, or open up. Perhaps she realized that fighting him was just going to cause problems? Maybe now was a good time to try and pull her aside to talk? All those thoughts and dreams died at the next voice.

"What do you care, Slytherslut!"

Draco had been standing there, enjoying the look of Potter and Weasley attempting to destroy one another. He had enjoyed the tension between Slytherin and the Gryffindor Golden boy. And Daphne Greengrass had ruined that all in a single phrase. It pissed him off. He was the heir to the Malfoy fortune! How dare she ruin his fun.

Daphne's eyes, which Harry saw less hatred in, immediately tensed back up. This time, however, they were hiding tears. Harry felt his own face fall as the girl turned her back to everyone and stormed away. Even with Harry calling after her it did not matter. And the crowd which had formed was too large for him to push his way through.

With a look of desperation, Harry sought out Tracey and Blaise. As he found the tall Italian boy, he made his way over. Before Harry could even ask, Blaise interpreted the question in his eyes.

"Tracey went after her. Give her some time. This seems to be…an unfortunate setback."

Harry caught the look of anger in the usually stoic face. Thankfully it was directed at Draco as opposed to Harry. Letting out a sigh, Harry accepted Blaise's statement. He did not like this one bit. It was too reminiscent of his previous timeline, just a different girl. As Harry returned to Hermione, Luna, and Neville, the girls took his hands. Hermione spoke, noticing the look in his eyes.

"Don't you dare, Harry James Potter. This is not your fault." Harry noticed that Luna was distracting Neville with talk of Wrackspurts and Nargles while Hermione turned her ire on him. "This is entirely Draco and Ron's fault and we don't know if the troll is even still going to come in." She stared him down before Harry finally relented and let out another frustrated sigh. She paused to kiss his cheek. This time she spoke louder to catch Luna and Neville's attention. "Thank you for defending me from that idiot. You re my knight!"

Luna giggled before latching onto his arm once more, kissing the other cheek.

"What if I want him to be my knight?" This seemed to give Hermione pause before the brunette smiled at the blond.

"Shall we share? There seems to be more than enough of him." This time the two kissed him at the same time. Harry was lost in what was going on and turned to Neville for help. The pudgy boy smiled and raised his hand sin surrender.

"Sorry mate, you're on your own here. I would be out of my league with one such beautiful witch, let alone two." This statement drew the attention of both witches who winked at one another before turning to face Nevile.

"So we are two such beautiful witches, are we Mr. Longbottom?"

"Perhaps we chose the wrong knight, Ms. Granger?"

"I believe you may have a point Ms. Lovegood."

Neville was watching the byplay, his face slowly going red from embarrassment while also going white with a bit of fear. It really was quite the feat. As the two girls allowed grins to stretch across their faces, Neville felt retreat was the safer option. As such, he turned tail and fled. When he did, both girls smiled and collapsed against Harry's shoulder in laughter.

Harry was still completely lost as the three made their way to the great hall for the feast. They came across Neville situated safely between the twins. When the boy noticed their approach, he hid behind the twins. Noticing this, the two boys grinned at one another. As the tri sat across from them, Fred and George launched into their typical twin speak.

"Do tell, Master Longbottom-"

"-if these two lovely creatures were the demonic temptresses you spoke-"

"-to us of. They seem-"

"-to be quite smitten with-"

"-another member of your dorm."

"That is unless-"

"-you were referring to-"

"-Mr. Potter as one of those-"

"Temptresses. If that is the case-"

"-then perhaps there are some explanations-"

"-which should occur so we are all-"

"-on the same page."

"We are family after all!" The two finished in unison, Cheshire grins crossing their faces. At this, and the reddening of Neville's face, the girls turned their attention to the poor boy.

"Temptresses, are we Neville?"

"I'll have you know I never Tempt."

"Nor I. Ensnare perhaps?"

"Quite. Snag?"

"Definitely. Seduce?"

"Most certainly.

"But we never-"

"-ever-"

"-in any way-"

"-shape-"

"-or form-"

"Tempt!" The two finished together, mimicking the twins. There were gob smacked looked coming from around them at the table before Harry and the twins burst out laughing. It was too much and soon the rest of the table, including a clearly embarrassed Neville joined in.

"Sorry Hermione and Luna. I just don't handle female attention well."

"No, you seem to handle it just fine mate. Not that it matters. You do you." Harry's response seemed to ease the boy. At this point, everyone settled into their meal. They were interrupted as the doors swung open.

"Troll! In the dungeon…thought you ought to know." Those words would forever haunt Harry. Having had this happen once before didn't make it any easier to handle as the room exploded in a panic before Quirrel's body even hit the floor. Harry was instantly trying to make plans. He knew the headmaster would soon be sending everyone off to their common rooms. He also had noted that Daphne was still missing, though Tracey had returned. As Harry knew, the headmaster shortly sent everyone off with prefects to their common rooms. Harry grabbed Hermione and Luna, joined shortly after by Anemy.

"Ok, I'll go find Daphne. I'm not fighting a bloody troll this time around if I can help it. You three, go cut off Quirrel, but do not let Snape catch you!"

There were tears in Hermione's eyes as she grabbed his arm. "I'm not leaving you Harry." The looks and tears forming in both Anemy and Luna's eyes expressed their shared feelings. Harry let out a sigh and opened his mouth to agree when a hand grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"Harry, have you seen Padma? I can't find her anywhere. She was supposed to meet me before the feast, but she hasn't!" Parvati looked to be on the verge of hyperventilating. Harry's world froze.

"Bugger."


	15. Chapter 15: Halloween, Part II

Harry's mind was racing. He was already in desperation mode to get out. He knew Daphne would be out there, and now apparently so was Padma. He had traded one terrible Halloween for another which was equally, if not worse, then the previous. Letting out hiss between his teeth, Harry placed his hands on Parvati's shoulders.

"Parvati, I will find her, I promise. Head back to the common room. And do me a favor? Drag these three along with you?" While there was humor in his voice, the look in his eyes brokered no argument from Anemy and Luna. Hermione was a different story.

"Don't you dare. You promised me."

"I promised you a lot of things which I desperately plan to deliver on, 'Mione, but I already have two distractions in this situation, I do not need more." This time, the heat in Harry's voice even threw Hermione off. She, who knew him best including his moodiness and anger, was unwilling to contradict him in this instance.

"Ok Harry." Her meek acceptance brought another frustrated sigh from Harry before his face softened.

"I'm sorry. I love you, but I really need to focus and I'm running behind already. Please keep these three safe?" Harry pulled her into a hug, whispering the last few words in her ear. Hermione, knowing he was frustrated but not mad with her, fought her tears and nodded into his shoulder. Then with a resolute look on her face, turned to grab Luna's hand and drag her off. Reluctantly, Anemy and Parvati followed with confused expressions on their own faces.

Watching them leave, Harry ducked out in the confusion of the now busy Great Hall. He somehow managed to avoid being caught by a professor, though he also missed Quirrel slipping out of the Great Hall himself. Harry did not have time to dwell on Voldemort, however, knowing what would soon be happening.

He raced to the third floor girl's bathroom, knowing what would be waiting. Knowing his luck, Daphne and Padma were already trapped by the giant brute. Harry heard a scream associated in text with a young woman and picked up his speed. As Harry skidded around the final corner, he froze at the unexpected sight.

Racing from the other end of the hall, obviously not having expressed the sigh herself, was none other than Daphne Greengrass. While her eyes were a bit red, her face flushed in anger as soon as she saw him and the two stopped facing one another before the door to the bathroom.

"What are you doing here Potter?" Harry was taken aback at the venom in her voice. Earlier he had hoped the two were moving forward in a positive direction, but it seemed Malfoy's words had set that back to just after the kiss level.

"Looking for you and Padma." Harry's honest answer came out, unable to stop it. Harry knew immediately it was the wrong one.

"So we can't take care of ourselves? Is that what you mean Potter?"

"No, but-"

"So you came rushing down here just to tell us then leave?"

"Not what I mea-"

"So what did you mean?"

Harry was truly becoming frustrated. This was how every talk with the blond Slytherin went. He was lucky to get a word in edgewise. Everything said seemed the wrong thing to say.

Further discussion or reflection was cut short by another shrill scream from within the bathroom. Both Harry and Daphne reacted immediately, rushing into the restroom.

There, before them, stood the troll. All twelve feet. And it reeked.

"That is one big troll." Harry heard Daphne mutter. It made him smile for a moment. Then Harry began seeking out Padma, but couldn't seem to find her.

"Padma?"

"Yes." Harry and Daphne both jumped at the sound from behind them. There, behind the two of them, stood Padma Patil. A confused expression flitted across Harry's face.

"Wait, I thought that was you screaming?"

"No, I was looking for Su Li because she did not know about the troll. Another grunt from the troll who had suddenly seemed to notice the new additions to his territory brought another shrill scream from one of the stalls. Padma Heard this as all three time travelers shifted their attention.

"Su Li?"

"Padma?"

"I'm right out here, just hang on!" At this point, Padma finally seemed to register the massive beast before them which now seemed to be focused on the three of them.

"Bugger."

"That's what I said."

"What are we going to do?" Padma started to sound panicked. Harry knew this was bad. It seemed to get worse when Daphne started laughing.

"I have no idea what you two are going to do, but I will not let Potter have the glory this time. I'm going to stop that monstrosity!"

Suddenly the troll swung its club in a high arc over its head. The three reacted rather quickly and managed to roll out of the way, years of war conditioning allowing their reaction times and sense of adrenaline to empower them.

Daphne was the first back to her feet and she immediately began casting her ice spell at the troll. The first two seemed to slow the troll down as it hit the shoulders, but as the troll kept swinging, the ice simply cracked away. Daphne was already panting with exertion from having cast the spell so many times. While she was stronger magically and more prepared education wise for this experience, her body was still young and growing, therefore not quite prepared.

Harry was surveying the situation. He knew they needed to do something. Preferably they needed to get Su Li out of the way first. Daphne seemed to be thoroughly distracting the troll, but she did not look like she would last much longer. He made a snap decision as he saw Daphne falter in her movements and casting as the troll reared back once more.

"Padma, get Su Li! Then run!"

As he called this, Harry was already in motion. He hoped the Indian Witch would move, but he had to get to the blond first. With all the strength and speed he could manage, he threw himself across the bathroom and rammed a tired Daphne out of the way. He almost escaped himself.

Almost.

Instead, there was a snapping sound as the troll's massive club glanced off the shoulder of a still moving Harry Potter. Harry felt bones popping out of place and cracking. He knew it was going to be one very long night of healing for him to get through this. But the pain didn't come. Harry was far too hyped on Adrenaline at that moment.

Tomorrow would hurt like hell, however.

As Harry attempted to roll, he drew his wand. The roll was not clean, nor pretty. In fact, it could barely be considered a roll as opposed to a somewhat graceful flop. Then Harry was on his feet, wand drawn as he attempted to cradle his collapsed shoulder against his body. The movement allowed him to discover that it was not his shoulder, but something in his arm which was broken. He would have to learn more later. Harry cast the strongest piercing hex he could manage. It was rather powerful, but considering the thickness of the troll's hide and the youth of the body he was in, it did very little to even throw the troll off balance.

As Harry regained his feet, he took a quick scope of the room to note Padma had managed to get to Su Li, but the two were now trapped.

Worse, it seemed, he had managed to knock Daphne into the wall where she had hit her head against the wall. Though still conscious, she did look quite dazed. The situation kept getting worse.

Going for broke, Harry cast a cutting curse for all he was worth at the troll's club, near it's hand. This was the thinnest point, but Harry was worried it still would not be thin enough.

And it was not. The troll kept swinging the still attached club in a high arc, leading Harry to dodge once more. As the club slammed into the floor, Harry thought fate was intervening once more. The club snapped under the sudden pressure.

The troll, however, still stood between Padma, Su Li, and freedom. Once more, with the thoroughly distracted troll, Harry took time to carefully aim a powerful piercing hex at the troll's eye.

The hex went straight through the troll's eye, piercing the brain and effectively killing the troll. Fortunately, or unfortunately based on your point of view, the troll collapsed slowly to its knees before falling on its face.

Or rather its face landed on Harry who had collapsed with his efforts and did not even have the energy to scramble away.

Harry waited for the door to open and admit the professors who would then get on his case for taking on the troll. If he was lucky, he would only lose a few points over this. Last time he had been beyond lucky. This damn troll was heavy and his arm hurt.

Harry slowly dragged himself from beneath the troll. He searched the room, carefully taking stock of where everyone else was. He noted Padma and Su Li standing in a corner conversing. Both seemed terrified, but at least they were alive. He would deal with the aftermath of that later.

The confusing factor was when he looked at Daphne. He had, he thought, just saved her life. Instead, the ice queen had a look of pure hatred on her face. It was all Harry could do. He painfully stood and stalked over to her, offering her hand.

"You alright?" She just stared at his hand for a minute before looking back. Green fire met blue ice.

"Why did you do that, Potter?" She snarled at him. Harry was covered in troll blood as well as dirt and grime. He really did not have the patience for this right now.

"Because otherwise we would be wiping ice queen puree off the floor for the next week." Daphne looked shocked at the anger in Harry's voice for a second before she covered it, a maniacal grin forming on her own face.

"There, I knew I would find the real you sooner or later Potter."

"The real me?"

Whatever Daphne would have responded with was cut off as the door opened. Harry turned to face it, expecting to see the professors.

He did not expect to see red and blond hair jump through the door, almost fighting to get in first. Both Ron and Draco froze at the sight before them. The pooled troll blood had begun to run toward the door, leading both to hike up their robes with looks of disdain, their fight momentarily forgotten.

The odd situation was broken by the entrance of Dumbledore, Snape, and McGongall. All three professors froze at what they saw. McGongall went first.

"Explain!" Her one-word demand prompted an explosion of sound. Ron and Draco were trying to shout over one another. As they began, Harry felt his energy sapped and slunk down against the wall.

"It was me, Professor. I saw these students in trouble and knew they would need my help."

"Don't listen to that idiot. I stepped in to save their lives because it was the right thing to do."

The two boys seemed angry with one another, pushing one another aside so they could each stand before their professors. All three stared at them in shock. The, once more, odd situation was interrupted by laughter. This laughter had a slightly mad sound to it. All eyes turned to focus on the source.

"No, professors, it was Mr. Potter who dealt with the troll. He managed to save everyone's lives and these two gits decided they could look good by claiming it." Daphne's statement socked Harry. He certainly did not expect her to stand up for him. Immediately, the two boys decided to fight back.

"No way, it was me!"

"Right, how would you know Greengrass? You were knocked out over there."

"ENOUGH!" McGongall's voice cut off further discussion. She turned to face Harry.

"Mr. Potter, care to explain to me what happened?"

"No." Harry's blunt reply shocked everyone.

"Excuse me?" McGongall looked like she had swallowed a lemon.

"Professor, I am tired. My arm is broken, I just fought a troll alongside Ms. Greengrass, and I desperately need sleep. Can we save explanations for another time? I can share the memory?" Daphne looked at him with a calculating gaze here. It was not noticed by Harry, however, who was more focused on the looks the professors were giving him. There were a few minutes as McGongall considered him before she relented.

"Very well, Mr. Potter. You, Ms Greengrass, Ms. Patil, and Ms. Li all make your way to the infirmary. I would like to speak with you further on this matter after your recovery."

As Harry and the girls made their way up to see Madam Pomfrey, they heard Professor McGongall ripping into Ron and Draco.

As they wandered down the hall, Padma and Su Li a few steps ahead, Harry gently tapped Daphne's shoulder.

"Thank you."

Daphne glared for a minute before responding.

"Don't get used to it."

Harry, truly getting annoyed, stopped Daphne at this.

"Look, this is getting really old. Can we talk about it?"

"Tomorrow, after dinner. Meet me in that room your little club liked to frequent." Daphne's response was still grounded in anger. Harry was suddenly not sure if he wanted to attend this meeting.

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Harry had spent the night in the infirmary. The other three had been released after getting a potion treatment, but Harry's arm was going to require removal and skelegrow. It ended up being a long and painful night.

He night was followed by a long day of glares and angry looks connected with the silent treatment from Hermione and Luna. Finally, just before entering dinner, Harry pulled the two into an empty classroom.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright?" He offered his puppy dog eyes to the two. Hermione glanced at Luna who was wearing a frown. That scared Harry more than anything. Seeing the usually upbeat blond frown meant he had really messed up. Suddenly Harry was wrapped into the tightest hug he had ever felt in either life, courtesy of Hermione and Luna. Each proceeded to kiss him before pulling back and slapping him. Harry was in a confused daze at this point.

"Don't you ever do anything like this to us again, Mr. Potter!" Hermione's angry eleven-year-old voice squeaked.

"You really scared us Harry." Luna's soft voice was almost as painful to hear as Hermione's had been. The last thing Harry wanted to do was hurt either of these women in front of him.

"I'm sorry ladies. Please forgive me?"

The two considered his request. After a few minutes, they agreed with one another with a nod.

"For now."

"But again, don't you every-"

"-and we do mean ever-"

"-scare us like this again!"

Hermione got a thoughtful look on her face. This cause Harry to pause.

"What is it Hermione?" Harry was nervous to hear her answer.

"You know, you explained what happened and how you got it mixed up…if we managed to get a certain piece of parchment from a certain set of red heads…"

As she trailed off, Harry and Luna both admitted that she had a point. It was one more task to add to their growing list.

As the three began to move toward the Great Hall, Harry informed them he had a meeting with Daphne after dinner. The two were excited at first until Harry described how the meeting had come about. This brought the mood down once more.

It was going to be a long night.

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Harry was stiff as he made his way to the Room of Requirement. It had been a stressful day. Dinner was better, with Hermione and Luna talking to him once again, but the discussion about his meeting with Daphne had not raised his confidence at all. It was a very nervous Harry who paced the hall way to form the room. He thought simply of asking for the room Daphne was in.

It was only by the skin of his teeth that Harry missed the stunner as he entered the room. Standing across from him was an enraged Daphne Greengrass. She began throwing stunners like candy, so Harry began to move, drawing his own wand in the process.

"What the hell?" Harry shouted across the room.

"Why. The. Bloody. Hell. Did. You. Interfere!" Daphne punctuated each word with another spell, getting progressively more dangerous. Harry was a tad concerned when her final curse was a bone breaker. While he was not casting back, a few shields here and there would be helpful. It would be nice to redirect a few of these back at her, but if she was this serious, throwing spells like that, Harry was scared to take the risk.

"All I wanted to do was fight the damned troll. You couldn't even let me do that!"

This angered Harry.

"Fight the troll? The one that nearly clubbed you if I hadn't stepped in?"

"There it is! Needed the glory for yourself? More fame for the fabled Harry Potter?"

"Get it through your thick skull, Greengrass, I don't give a damn about fame, or fortune."

The two were casting back and forth furiously. As their emotions began empowering their spells, they began to tear the room apart. There were craters in the floor and walls. All cloth in the room had burnt after the massive explosion of magic. The room could handle quite a bit, but this much anger driven emotion was certainly a strain.

"Then why did you shove me?"

"Because you were about to get hit!"

"And why the hell would you care!" Daphne flung a curse with all her might. For all the magic she had left at this point, it was nothing more than a stinging hex. Harry dropped his guard and let it hit him. A red welt formed on his cheek where it hit. He was too tired magically to go on and from the looks of it, so was Daphne.

That did not mean she was done.

As her wand clattered to the ground, Daphne rushed across the room. With a passion and energy Harry did not know she possessed, Daphne drove her fist into his jaw, snapping his head back. The two began a fist fight. Well, more Daphne began to punch and attack Harry who did everything in his power not to get hit. As they moved, her attacks got weaker and weaker. She kept yelling at him, even as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Why the hell would you care!" There was one last weak attempt to hit him as Daphne collapsed in her tears right into Harry's chest. Harry decided to do his best to answer.

"Because somewhere, deep inside, I love you, Miss Greengrass. And that will be true whether you hate me or not. Why shouldn't I care?"

"Because I want you to hate me!"

"Why?"

"Because then I can hate you. I can hate you for what you did to me. What you put me through. For making me live through it not once, but twice!" Here the tears fell freely. Daphne was weakly pounding on Harry's chest as she cried into his sweat stained shirt. Suddenly she could not move, finding herself wrapped tightly in Harry's arms. Daphne managed to pull back just enough to see the tears in his own eyes.

"I'm sorry Daphne. You should never have been treated like that. And I know saying sorry won't make up for it. I don't hate you and I certainly don't think that of you."

"Then why did it happen?" Daphne seemed so lost. So confused. She was seeking answers Harry wasn't sure he had.

"Daphne, I want you to understand. There is a reason Ron Weasley is not a friend of mine in this timeline."

"Right, for what he did to Hermione Granger." Harry snickered. Daphne looked affronted for a moment so Harry quickly continued.

"Ok, I should say there are a few reasons. One is indeed Hermione. But there is one other reason."

"Oh?"

"Indeed." Harry proceeded to tell her about his visit with Ian and the scenes Harry had been shown. By the end, Daphne was once again in tears. Harry held her as the two slowly sank to the floor.

"I'm sorry Harry. After it all, I did not know. I wanted to hate you. I was so angry, but for all I wanted to, I couldn't. I love you too, somewhere inside Harry." Daphne's tears had dried at this point, but she was still sniffling. The two fell into a companionable silence as they held to one another. Harry once more felt a piece of himself becoming whole. Daphne felt years of anger and separation slowly bleeding out.

The two needed this.

And the two needed one another.


	16. Chapter 16:Magical Guardians

For all the good the release of anger and emotion did for both Harry and Daphne, it did not fix everything. The two slowly, very slowly, began building a friendship. As Daphne had come to realize just how different this Harry was from the one in her own timeline, not to mention the terrible image she had built of him, she started to let her walls down.

The relaxing of tension within the friend group led to a massive exhaled breath. Daphne quickly latched back on to both Blaise and Tracey, who seemed incredibly grateful for whatever had happened as she tearfully thanked Harry for finally "getting off your ass and doing something!"

Padma also seemed to clam up a bit in the aftermath of Halloween. Harry did manage to pull her aside about a week after for another chat between the two. He was surprised when the Indian Witch yanked him into an empty classroom and provided him with a deep kiss. The group had become better at hiding their elder emotions from their classmates after a few pointed questions from Neville and Tracey, not to mention a few upper years, following both Hermione's birthday as well as Hermione and Luna's teasing of Neville. While they were certainly of age emotionally and mentally, they were in their eleven and twelve year-old bodies, surrounded by others of roughly the same age.

The kiss was followed by Padma breaking down into tears as she buried her face in Harry's chest. The shock threw Harry for a moment until he heard her quietly whispering.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry." After figuring out what she was saying, Harry attempted to analyze what was going on to see if he could interpret the words. Failing to do so, he gently pulled Padma up to look into her eyes.

"What are you sorry for love?" Calling her love seemed to make her smile, before she frowned at his question.

"I'm sorry for failing you. For failing Su Li. And Daphne. And-" She was cut off from this line when Harry's finger carefully crossed her lips in a shushing gesture.

"Tell me how you have failed me?"

"First there was the broom. Then the troll. I knew it was coming, but I didn't manage to stop Su Li from running off after Malfoy teased…well, bullied her really, for being Chinese. Then when I saw you and Daphne, I was more in the way than a help. I know that, especially after Parvati told me what you told Hermione."

Harry listened patiently, chastising himself for his words that night to Hermione. The brunette was still a tad upset with him over the situation, but at least she still showed she loved him. He hadn't realized his words would have such an impact. He needed to fix this because as much as he wanted…needed to protect his bond mates, he could not and would not do so by hiding them away.

"Padma, none of that is a failure. The broom failed you. Considering the age of the brooms, we were lucky only one failed. I am sorry it was you, but I am certainly not sorry about getting to hold you in my arms."

This drew a giggle from the distraught girl who had to sniffle through her tears to do so. Harry pulled her in closer as he considered her other statements.

"As for Su Li, you rushed into a bathroom with a full grown troll for her and then, rather than just letting the troll attack you, moved to protect her. That kind of action and assistance is the kind I will certainly need if we are going to survive this trip through life."

After a few more sniffles, cuddling, and discussion, the two moved to leave the room.

"Thank you Harry."

"Anytime, because you are precious to me."

After that discussion, Padma seemed to relax. Harry was still struggling a bit with both Anemy and Daphne. While Harry had shared adventures either in this life, the last, or both with most of his bond mates, he had yet to truly do so with Anemy. The lack of such experiences was starting to show in their interactions. While the two got along, they had yet to truly connect. Harry had thought about going to deal with the Basilisk and bringing the young lady who had a passion for magical and non-magical creatures with him, but his attempts to get into the chamber had failed. He had gotten past the sink in Myrtle's bathroom, but the door to the actual chamber had informed him it could not open unless the previous heir was proven defeated and magic had not genuinely done so yet.

And with Daphne, the years of separation, or what looked like months to their non-time travelling friends, was a difficult frame of reference to overlook instantly. He did, however, benefit from the young lady's knowledge of Wizarding law and politics. Harry had always wondered about titles like Lord and Lady and discovered it was like being knighted. To be referred to as a Lord or Lady in the Wizarding world, officially, one had to have been awarded an Order of Merlin. While and of the top three classes would be referred to as such, it was typically only first class recipients who received such accolades outside of formal settings.

When Hermione, in one of these discussions, asked why Harry had never received such an honor for the defeat of Voldemort who was recognized by most of the world as the most dangerous dark lord in the past century (quite a feat when you put him beside Gellert Grindewald who nearly took over Europe), those raised in the wizarding world looked at her strangely.

"Hermione, Harry was offered one. They actually offered all three Potters one, but Dumbledore stated that on Harry's request, they were being magnanimously turned down. It was actually seen as an insult by quite a few of the members of our society. It was also odd because this would have granted Harry a greater standing and when he came of age, a seat on the Wizengamot should he have asked, great honors worthy of distinguished service."

"I know my aunt was rather insulted for quite a while." Susan piped in from where she was involved in the conversation. She seemed a bit put out by this discussion with the others. All things froze as the air chilled around them. All eyes turned to Harry. It was only as Hermione and Luna's hands came to his shoulders that the magic cooled until only Harry's eyes were glowing.

"That bastard!"

"Language, Harry!" Hermione half-heartedly responded. The response from everyone else was confusion.

"Harry, What's wrong? What Bastard?" Neville asked, a bit in fear. While he was certainly more confident with friends this trip through the time line, the young Longbottom as well as the rest of their study group were intimidated by the malice in Harry's voice.

"Dumbledore." The inhalations demonstrated the shock most felt over Harry's declaration. Harry decided to continue. "Neville, I knew nothing about the wizarding world until Hagrid came to inform me of my Hogwarts letter on my eleventh birthday. This was after a week of receiving numerous letters from the staff. The first time I ever saw Dumbledore, at least which I remember, was when I walked through the door for my sorting. I never even received an owl before my Hogwarts letter. How the hell could Dumbledore know I wanted to turn it down?"

This seemed to shock most of the group, particularly those who still saw Dumbledore as the epitome of light.

"But surely not Dumbledore, he wouldn't…"

"Hannah, do you know the rumor going around about me?" The young girl nodded her head a bit hesitantly. She did not believe the rumor, having had Harry touch her and having seen him touch others who were supposed to be well versed in dark magic with no reaction, but the rumor was well known. "Do you know who started that rumor?"

Harry let the question hang in the air. It was the end of the discussion until time to leave for the Christmas break. The Weasley's had once again opted to stay, as had Susan and Anemy. The rest of the study group had planned to go home and Harry had been invited by Hermione to visit her with plans for Luna to attend as well. Harry had even managed to get written permission from his Aunt Petunia to allow him to go. As they all moved toward the entrance to board the carriages on their way to the Hogwarts express, Harry's Wizarding Law lessons with Daphne came in handy once more, though not as effectively as he had hoped. It was as he moved to the door, just after handing Professor McGongall his written permission from his aunt, when Harry heard that dreaded phrase.

"Ah, Harry my boy. Where are you off to?" Harry had to keep from smirking at the twinkle in the eyes. The old man put a lot of effort into maintaining his grandfatherly appearance, Harry had to give him that.

"Well, Headmaster, I am on my way to enjoy my holiday break."

"Where would you be doing that, Mr. Potter?"

"With my new friend, of course!" Harry stated this with a grin while grabbing both Hermione and Daphne's hands since they happened to be next to him. Daphne was still not the most comfortable with displays of affection, but the one person she disliked even close to the distaste she had for Ron was Dumbledore and recent lessons drove that opinion even lower. As such, she grinned when Harry threw her into this fray.

"I'm afraid I will have to deny that, Harry."

"Not really your call sir, seeing as I have permission." Harry saw the twinkle fade for a second. This was where things could go haywire. Harry had not expected to be allowed to leave easily, but he was thoroughly pissed that Dumbledore would be attempting this.

"Let's discuss this in my office. Should we reach an agreement, I'm sure you can catch up to both Miss Greengrass and Miss Granger." Harry felt Hermione tense. Neither had noticed the subtle ways Dumbledore praised purebloods before. Now, every little thing stood out. His stating Daphne's name first, the slight look of irritation at saying Hermione's name, the slight drifting of his hand toward his wand as he finished saying the words.

"No sir, I have permission from my legal guardian and have appropriately given such to my head of house, as required by the school charter. Now I will be on my way."

"Mr. Potter, I am your magical guardian!" The twinkle was definitely gone at this point. It would only be a matter of how desperate Dumbledore was to keep Harry in the castle.

"And as such you have no say in my place of residence. That responsibility, according to WIZARDINGN LAW lies with my legal guardian. That happens to be my aunt, who has written her permission and I have given a copy of such to the deputy headmistress."

All cordiality faded from Dumbledore's grandfatherly persona. He had been beaten time and again by this young boy before him and he, the great chess master, was tired of it. His next actions were stopped by McGongall's voice.

"I do have the permission right here, Headmaster." Harry saw a subtle flick of the Headmasters wrist from within his robes and attempted to place himself between the two professors. He seemed to be too late as the deputy suddenly appeared less supportive of Harry, a sure sign of a compulsion charm. The fire against Dumbledore faded from her eyes. The headmaster's next words ended Harry's hope to get out.

"Hogwarts, lock down the doors." Here he turned to Harry. "I'm sorry my boy, this really is for your own safety." Once more, the elderly man stood tall and called out, this time his voice hitting all corners of the castle. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but we have an unauthorized student attempting to leave. As soon as Mr. Potter stops attempting to leave the castle, we will once more resume boarding the express." He grinned at Harry in a smarmy way as the students glared. His smug smile aimed at Harry faded as McGongall seemed to break at least a portion of the compulsion charm.

"Was that really necessary, Albus? Mr. Potter had every right to question you and you had no reason to accuse him nor lock down the wards. We both know that is beyond your right as headmaster."

With a sad look at Hermione and Daphne, Harry decided he would give in for now. He needed to get out from the headmaster one way or another to speak with the goblins for a bit. The question was becoming how. He hoped Dumbledore would still return his invisibility cloak for Christmas, then he could sneak out a tunnel and apparate to Gringotts. For now, however, he played the beaten boy.

"It's alright professor. I'm obviously not going to win against the headmaster, even with the law on my side." Harry had stage whispered the final line to the Transfiguration professor. It was quiet enough to look like an attempt to hide it, but loud enough for Professor McGongall, Dumbledore, and Parvati and Lavender to hear. Harry knew it would be all over the train by the end of the trip to London. Of course with his giving in, Dumbledore had lost all rights to lock down the castle and make Harry seem like a bad guy. Harry was sure he would still face retribution from others, but he would make this work.

With a sad smile, Harry waved goodbye to his bond mates who were leaving and went in search of either the red-headed twins or Anemy and Susan. As Harry thoughts of the American Witch, he smiled. This could be a great time to get to know her!

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Just as Harry predicted, Lavender and Parvati spread all over the train that the Headmaster had been illegally keeping Harry in the castle. Their word, while not always assumed true, was enough to turn the growing tide against Harry from upper years who had been upset at being delayed. Their being there in person had drawn others to believe their side.

This did not, of course, satisfy Harry's friends that he had been unable to join them on the train. Daphne, whose family was considered politically dark, decided immediately upon returning home to share the story with her parents. Both, who did not trust the aged headmaster to truly lead the country, felt the outrage shown by their daughter and knew there would be more to learn of Harry Potter in their future. While they did not side with pureblood purists, they thought preservation of wizarding traditions was important and felt those who attempted to change things without truly understanding the history had no right. Still, this was a unique situation.

Neville and Tracey also both shared with their parents to very different reactions. Neville's gran, who was deeply ensconced as a light politician who sided with Dumbledore on nearly every issue, took some convincing and still took the situation with a grain of salt. It was the start to convincing her that Dumbledore was not perfect, but that would take time. Tracey's family was clearly moderate and spent quite some time laughing at an eleven-year-old showing up the great leader of the light, who they felt was the quintessential politician in that he rarely delivered on his promises.

Luna and Padma both felt a bit cheated for Harry, but were thoroughly pleased with Parvati and Lavender in their assistance, whether the two other girls knew they had actually helped Harry or not. The rest of the study group fell somewhere between these reactions.

Hermione was the most heart broken. Since coming back, she was going to miss seeing Harry for the first time and it truly hurt her. She had been with Harry every day on the hunt, nearly a year, followed by every day for the past four months. She actually ran to her mother's arms in tears. The truth be told; the tears were two fold. Hermione was thrilled to see her parents considering what she had done to them just before the hunt, but she was so sad not to have Her Harry with her. And she clearly told her mother so, as well as her father. When she explained the situation, neither parent was sure what to do, nor how to react.

One thing they knew for sure was that this was not the same little lonely bookish daughter they had dropped off at the train for September 1st. And they were certain that this young Harry Potter who had filled letters and stories and been invited to come join them was rather special. While Dan Granger did not want to admit it just yet, Emma was certain that Harry Potter was going to be in their lives for a very very long time, possibly as family one day.

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It was a rather irate Albus Dumbledore who called for order during the final staff meeting of the term. With the student gone, the staff who were not on duty over the holidays would be leaving either immediately after or early the next morning.

Ultimately it did not matter, Dumbledore planned to put his foot down. He took a few breaths before addressing the group.

"I have to admit I find myself rather disappointed in the situation which arose this morning while the students were leaving."

"As am I, Albus." Minerva's response made Dumbledore grin inside. He decided to press this and hopefully convince the rest of the staff they needed to side with him.

"Indeed. Mr. Potter seems to be overstepping his bounds once more." There was a sad tone in his voice which Snape immediately jumped on.

"He is just as arrogant as his father. Figures he would try to worm his way out. You really should have given him detention for that!"

"He would do no such thing, since Albus was in the wrong!" Minerva's voice cut through the room. There was tension, which Pamona Sprout cut with her next question.

"Could you explain, please Minerva?"

"Albus, as Mr. Potter's Magical Guardian, came in and overrode Mr. Potter's legal guardian, something he clearly had no right to do. He then shut down the school ward to stop anyone from leaving! I find myself appalled at such behavior!"

"Albus, how could you!" This response from Septima Vector. When she spoke, Albus knew he was losing the room. In a flash, he cast an obliviate on the room. He wanted to make them forget the situation from this morning, but he was certain the students already had spread it and that would lead to difficult questions. Instead, he settled for having them forget the past few minutes.

"We had a lovely meeting and discussed break plans. We reviewed the situation from this morning and determined no one at fault. Please enjoy your break!" Dumbledore said the last line as everyone came back to themselves.

He left the room grumbling, debating on whether he would return the cloak.

Maybe with a few charms and malaclaw venom?


	17. Chapter 17: Christmas Comes

Harry had thoroughly enjoyed his Christmas. He had moped for the first few days of break, being his first in a very long time away from Hermione. He missed the young with desperately, but the time spent with the twins, Susan, Hagrid, and Anemy had been wonderful.

Harry had once more learned about Nicholas Flamel from Hagrid, but the best part of the time had been getting to know Anemy.

The slender young Native American girl with the extra-long black hair was quiet and rather reserved, but she had a wicked sarcastic sense of humor.

Add in the fact that Harry had still received his father's cloak from Dumbledore and this was a wonderful Christmas. Presents from each of his bond mates were great and he had made sure each of them received something special from him as well. The 'public presents' which were opened with their families were a mix of books and chocolates, as all of his bond mates were seen as brilliant, but he had other presents which he planned to give them as they returned to the castle.

Harry had managed to find the tracking charms throughout his cloak and knowing he needed to find the mirror before Dumbledore would move it, left them for the time being. He did manage to soak the cloak in malaclaw venom antidote this time, something he had learned through his previous journey.

So as Harry was wandering the halls, wondering at which point he should slip in and view the mirror, he came across and odd sight. Sitting in an alcove along the hallway was Anemy. She was sniffling, as if holding back tears. Harry quietly removed the cloak before entering the alcove to ensure she would not be surprised by his presence. While the bond mates had managed to sneak away to the Room of Requirement a few times to educate everyone about past experiences, there was still the idea of caution so the poor girl would not be surprised by him. Harry cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Anemy? Are you alright?" This earned a sniffling giggle from the girl as Harry moved to sit down next to her when she indicated a seat for him. "Of course you aren't. Would you like to share?"

There was a short silence before Anemy gave in.

"Harry, before we came back, Voldemort had already started making plans and taking actions against other countries. He sent his thugs after my grandfather because of who he was." She paused as if to consider this for a minute before turning to look at Harry. "Do you know anything about Shamanic Magic?"

"Not really, most of what I know about magic is what they teach us here." There was a snort from the young American witch.

"we really need to get you out more. Well Shamanic magic relates to the spirit. This is different from the soul. It is really difficult to explain the differences without a deeper understanding of the magic, but the soul is you being and essence. This is tied directly to your magic. The spirit, on the other hand, is more directly associated with the mind. Each has a magic all its own, but they interact in different ways. All humans contain both, but the amount of magic they can tap through each depends on their soul and its ties to magic.

"In the case of Shamanic Magic, the spirit is tied to the earth. More particularly, rather than plants such as Celtic Magic, Shamanic Magic is tied to animals. Shamanic magic is the root of animagus transformation and why not everyone can achieve it. If this was tied to your traditional magic and was merely a transformation, it would actually be far simpler to explain. Instead, it is tied to the spirit, just as animals have various spirits."

Anemy paused, taking a breath. Harry waited to see where she planned to go with all of this. It explained a great deal behind how these transformations occurred. Sure there was an element of transfiguration in animagi transformations, but her explanation made more sense than anything Harry had ever heard. He nodded for her to continue.

"Well, because of these ties to animals, Shamanic Magic is difficult. Just as Animals are considered wild, so too is the magic of the spirit. Therefore, it is very rare for someone to become a true Shaman. When they do so, understanding of healing and transformation change drastically. A true Shaman has a healing power unlike any other and an ability to commune with animals on a level no one ever truly knows or understands.

"My Grandfather had this ability. He was only a mild wizard, but his mastery of spirit magic was such that it did not matter. He managed an unheard of five animagi forms. He could heal even from a deathbed in what even the wizarding world viewed as miraculous." Anemy paused once more, seeming to consider her words. As Harry noted the silent sob from the shake of her shoulders, he carefully moved to place his arm around the distraught witch. When she felt his touch, Anemy buried her face in his chest and clung to him. Harry simply allowed her to cry for a bit before continuing her tale.

"When Voldemort moved troops to take the US and Canada, his first action was to go after the power. He took the headmistress of Salem, a true seer. He came for those of greatest power, through assassination. And he came for my Grandfather, the one with power over animals and healing. He slaughtered my Grandfather in his sleep.

"After that he came for my family. He wanted to secrets of the Shaman and felt we would give them to him. We were taken and killed. It was a terrible experience, but something strange happened. As my soul attempted to leave this plane, it was dragged to a new experience, one where I saw a black haired, green-eyed man taking on this terror of the world. While had had not come in person yet, we could feel the bastard coming for us. His name already struck fear in many people. Yet here was a young man, certainly no older than I, going toe to toe with this feared dark lord.

"Then I watched you die, Harry. I saw you die, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up on the Hogwarts express with a new set of memories. And I realized my family is alive!" Tears were now pouring down the girl's cheeks. Harry gently wiped them away. The natural copper tone of her skin caused the grey eyes to shine, even without the tears and Harry felt himself drawn in. He could not figure out why she was crying if she was happy her family was alive once more. Anemy seemed to read this confusion on his face. She let out a sad giggle.

"Harry, these tears are both Happy and sad. I am thrilled my family lives once more. And I am beyond Harry to have my Grandfather part of the living once again. Yet, here, after having lost them, I had to watch all my friends leave to go celebrate with their families. Luna gets her father back. Padma and Daphne get their sisters again. Hermione's parents remember her again.

"But they all get to go be with their families. I cannot do that. I know my family is alive, but I cannot see them. And that makes me very sad."

Harry considered her words for a minute. He nearly let the thought that at least her parents were alive enter his mind. He ruthlessly shut that down. Harry would have loved to have his parents, even should he not be able to see them, but having his bond mates was more important. He had survived without his mother or father. He had no idea if he could live again without his bond mates. Harry gently turned Anemy so he could stare into his eyes as she sat on his lap.

"My Sweet Little Anemy." Anemy giggled as Harry called her that. Harry's term of endearment for Anemy had come about as a joke. Anemy was easily the tallest of his bond mates currently and with Harry in his undernourished body, she stood a few inches taller than him as well. Joking one time, he had referred to her as little and it had stuck. "Never doubt you lack family on this side of the pond. While I hope to live a long life getting to know you better, we are already family in my mind and in my heart. I have come to meet the gorgeous wonderful woman inside and I am honored to have you in my life. Always and forever." With that, and a final sniffle from Anemy, Harry leaned in and gently kissed her. He then got a strange look in his eye which made Anemy gulp.

"Come with me, I have an idea!" Here, Harry pulled forth his cloak. Anemy's look of shock and wonder made it all worth it as he threw it around themselves. "This was my father's invisibility cloak. Come with me, I want to show you something."

With that, Harry led Anemy directly to the room where the mirror was located. After staring for a minutes, Harry moved to look into the mirror. He had expected to see his parents, who did indeed show up. What he had not expected, however, was to see each of his bond mates, some showing definite baby bumps, with children surrounding them. With tears in his eyes, Harry drew his attention away to look at a questioning Anemy.

"This is the Mirror of Erised. Come take a look."

The young witch slowly took deliberate steps until she stood beside Harry. Harry slowly moved away, sad to let the image go, but knowing Anemy could use this more at the moment. Harry watched the look of wonder cross her face.

"Its…"

"I know."

"But…"

"I'm not sure."

The two spent another hour with the mirror, discussing family and future. Each shared what they saw in the mirror. Harry was embarrassed by his own at first until Anemy admitted to having seen him in her own reflection. This led both to turning very red before finally admitting they liked one another.

While Harry was still hesitant to say the words to her out loud, he knew he was falling in love with Anemy.

After their time together, Harry drew forth his cloak once more to wrap around them. It was with a heavy heart he departed from Anemy after returning her to the Hufflepuff Common room. The two kissed as they said their goodnights, still hidden by the cloak. Without another thought, Harry returned to his own bed and slept rather soundly for the rest of the evening.

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It was four nights later when Harry finally got his meeting. He was very tired at this point. He would spend the day with the twins, Susan, and Anemy. The Twins had stayed, like in the previous timeline, because their parents were taking a trip to Romania to spend Christmas with Charlie. Apparently the second oldest Weasley boy had himself a young lady and was introducing her to the family. Fred and George were convinced this was not what Charlie had intended when he wrote home about Eileen. Their mother was supposedly going to see if she was good enough for her boy. Both twins grimaced and admitted it was probably more to chase her away. This all left Harry wondering if Eileen had happened in the other time line and he had simply missed it or if this was a change.

Susan had stuck around because her Aunt had just been named the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Head back in July. While her aunt was her only remaining living family, this new position and Amelia's age and gender seemed to have conspired against her in the patriarchal society, meaning the elder Bones was spending the holiday working. As such, Susan had reluctantly agreed to stick around at Hogwarts where she could spend time with friends. She hadn't been able to tell her loved aunt that nearly no one else was staying. And it had worked out for the best. Susan had become much closer to both Harry and Anemy, as well as getting to know the twins. Harry was sure that would be a beneficial friendship in the future for both parties.

So after spending the days with the small group, Harry would spend time after dinner with just himself and Anemy. This would often last until late in the evening, well after curfew. The two would go to the Room of Requirement with a pensieve in the set up in order to review Harry's and Anemy's memories of the previous time line. After the finished, Harry would walk her back to the common room before turning back to visit the mirror once more, hoping that would be the night.

And finally, on his fifth night of visiting the mirror, it happened. As Harry watched the mirror, He focused his senses and felt a slight shift in the air as the headmaster entered the room. Harry grinned and decided to play with the old man.

"Thank you for retuning my property, Headmaster."

Harry watched a stunned Dumbledore fade into existence as his disillusionment charm faded. The old man quickly schooled his face, but not before Harry caught sight of it.

"Yes, well it was your father's and he was kind enough to allow me to examine it. I felt it was time to return it to its rightful owner."

"Tracking charms and Malaclaw venom included?" Here Harry turned to face the old manipulator. He did his best to keep an even neutral tone to his voice in order not to sound accusatory. He once more saw a twitch in the Headmaster's face as the old man clamped down on his occlumency shields. Harry had to hide his own snicker as Dumbledore sought to change the subject.

"Yes, well tell me, Harry my boy, what do you think of this mirror?"

"It is a lovely little parlor trick."

"Excusse me?" Clearly Dumbledore had not expected this response from Harry. The young man smiled and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder toward the mirror

"This thing? The one with the whole line about your heart's desire? Written in mirror writing? On a mirror? Ok, not quite mirror writing, I suppose, but that thing?" Dumbledore was too shocked to do anything other than nod. "Eh, it is nice. Shows my parents, but we both know that isn't real and why."

Harry let his final statement hang. He wanted to let Dumbledore draw his own conclusions about what Harry knew and did not know. He had already proven he was more knowledgeable than Dumbledore seemed to think he should be. Anything to keep the old man on his toes was good. Plus, Harry was still upset with the old goat about not letting him spend the break with Hermione. It had been lessened by the time with Anemy, but not forgiven.

"But you've visited it five times?!"

"Yeah, trying to figure out how the bloody thing works. It can see past occlumency shields. That could be a great skill to learn."

Dumbledore stared in shock and not a little bit of fear. He considered how to get around this. If Harry had that kind of knowledge and ever went 'dark' he would be impossible. He was already impossible!

"Well I think you should let the dream go, my boy. The mirror is being moved tonight."

"That would be difficult sir."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because it will only be tonight for another…three minutes. Then it will be the morning. Unless you meant tomorrow night?" Harry had checked his watch to confirm the time. It was amusing to see Dumbledore get so frustrated. To the old man's credit, however, he did hide his frustration rather well.

"Quite right, Harry my boy. I supposed I did misspeak. The mirror shall be moved in the morning."

"To the third floor corridor? To hide the gift from your mentor?" Dumbledore froze, once more unable to respond. Harry just grinned. He knew Dumbledore was torn. He wanted Harry to figure this out on the one hand, but he had not expected Harry to be so knowledgeable about what was hidden there for a few more months. He had manipulated both Hagrid and Quirrel just so.

"Very well, Headmaster. Good evening!" With a bright smile, Harry threw on the cloak and walked out the door. He quickly began removing the tracking charms as he passed various parts of the castle, tossing one into a trash bin here, a pillar there, he even managed to move one onto the trick stair on the moving staircase.

Harry settled back into bed as he returned to the Gryffindor tower. Now that everything was settled with the mirror, he wondered if he should go for the stone early. He hoped to hold on to the thing this time and somehow return it to Nicholas and Pernelle. He had already talked about this with his bond mates and while they all agreed to go before he had to face off with Quirrel, the one demand was that he promise to wait for them to join him. After the Halloween events, Hermione had even required an oath. Reluctantly, Harry had given just that. It meant he had to wait at least until the break was over.

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Hermione, Luna, Padma, and Daphne had managed to convince their families to let them spend some time together over the break. As such, they were all staying at a hotel near the leaky cauldron for the last three days before returning from the break. It had given them all a chance to meet and discuss and get to know one another.

It had also been rather sad for all of them knowing Harry and Anemy were stuck at school. While all of them had various friends, they were becoming rather close to one another. Even Daphne was getting over her issue and grown oddly close with Padma and Anemy.

It was after one more late night of staying up to discuss their favorite topic, Harry Potter, where Daphne asked a question to the room.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes. With every last fiber of my being." Hermione said, almost as if to herself.

"He is my best friend and was my first true friend. I will always love him." Luna said, a sad note in her voice contrasting with the happy thought.

"He saved my life in too many ways and he gave me my sister back. Yet I love him for more than that." Padma's response was deep enough for all of them to feel.

After a moment, Hermione looked at Daphne.

"And you?" There was a moment of consideration.

"I have no idea why on earth I feel this way. I cannot say when it happened or how. I spent much of my last life hating him and most of this one trying to, yet those damned green eyes see right through me and all he has ever shown through them has been compassion and love. And as much as I try to tell myself this is too early to say it, I do. I love him desperately." Then her look turned sad. "But how is he going to spend his life with all of us?"

For all the wizarding world was backwards, polygamy was still not something considered acceptable. There were legal challenges and issues and so much more. As Daphne noted all of this, the other three girls seemed to realize the challenges they were preparing themselves to face. The saddened state was broken by a tearfully angry statement from the most unexpected place.

"He is our Harry and I don't give a damn what anyone else says. He saved each of us and I love him. He needs that. But for all he has been through and still has to go through, he needs all of us." Luna's outburst surprised everyone. As tears and sobs ravaged her tiny frame, the other girls moved to draw her into a hug. They heard her whispering, to all of them yet only to herself. "All of us."

The other three shared a look. After a quick nod, they said in unison.

"All of us!"


	18. Chapter 18: The Inheritances

It was early the morning during which the Hogwarts Express was set to return. After a great deal of debate and discussion, Harry had finally decided he needed to get out to speak with the Goblins. It was not good to keep them waiting. He had been hoping for an opening where he could sneak out without Dumbledore knowing. And after discussing it with Anemy, she agreed and asked if there was any way in which she could go with him. They had finally found their opening, seeing Dumbledore leave the castle that morning.

What neither knew was that Dumbledore, finally having managed to calm down the rest of the staff as to his mix up surrounding being the magical guardian as opposed to the legal guardian, had taken some time to go see the Dursleys. That was where the wizened old wizard was at currently, in fact. Under the pretense of checking the wards, he had arrived early to begin casting new charms. Disillusioned, he had snuck in and cast compulsion charms on each Dursley once more for them to dislike their nephew. Of course, he may have overpowered them just a tad, but seeing as he needed them to keep Harry under a much tighter leash, he really did not care. He also cast the charms where the Dursleys would believe that Harry needed to remain with them for the entire summer in order for the wards to protect them. That way, the anger and resentment would grow. It was a lot of work and would take him until just before the express arrived, but it would all be worth it when Harry was beaten into submission over the summer. Add in the fact that he had the time today because it just so happened that this was the one day of the year during which the Underage Magic Office was closed for maintenance. The benefit was he could cast his magic here and it would never be noticed.

Ahh, it was good to hold so much power and knowledge over the rest of the wizarding world.

But Anemy and Harry knew none of this as they snuck out through the tunnel behind the one eyed witch. As they reached the basement of Honeydukes, Harry took a close look. He was planning to apparate out of here. Apparition was not tracked, in actuality, by the ministry. The amount of magic required meant most individuals lacked the ability until well into their sixth or even seventh years before they could manage it. By not offering training until students came of age, there was little to no need to monitor the magic. In fact, the only thing which set off the sensors was splinching. Harry had spent a great deal of time over the hunt being personally trained by Hermione. She may have been bossy at times, but he had to admit she knew her stuff.

Still, this was going to be a challenge. Whereas Hermione learned apparition as a method of travel, Harry had turned it into a dangerous fighting tool. While, when not under duress, he could probably apparate across the country, as he hoped to manage with a partner today, he could apparate several times in the midst of spell fire with such deadly accuracy that Harry's weapons work with a small dirk had claimed nearly as many death eaters over the hunt as his spell fire had.

But today, just now, with less magic available and having to go farther with a passenger than he had ever done before, Harry needed every advantage he could get going both ways. So he took in the details of the basement for the return journey before tightly grasping Anemy's hand and turning on the spot.

The two shortly appeared in the alley beside the Leakey Cauldron. Seeing as no one knew Anemy, it would be alright for her to visit undisguised. Harry, on the other hand, was far more recognized. As such, adding a glamour would certainly be for the best.

After a few minutes of casting, where they were close enough for the magic to be coming from the Cauldron, both children entered the bar.

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Hermione was rather upset. And happy. And all of this confused her. She should be thrilled. She had her parents back. More than that, she was sitting at breakfast in the Leaky Cauldron. The families had decided one last stroll through the alley before heading for the train would be a good idea. And Hermione was not going to turn down an offered trip to Flourish and Blotts.

But of course, her holiday had been ruined, more or less, from the start. She was supposed to spend this time with Harry. With the man who had become everything she wanted and needed. And they were supposed to face everything together.

Sure, there had been the fight after Halloween, but it was quickly resolved. The fact of the matter was that at this point, time spent away from Harry was painful. He had been in her life every single day for well over a year. She had laughed and cried with him. She had fought and died with and for him. And she was alive, because of him.

After their discussion last night, Hermione knew the other girls missed Harry just as much. Hermione had thought at first she would be upset or jealous at these others trying to get involved with Harry as well.

Ok, she knew it wasn't really as if they were trying to get involved, they already were. And Hermione knew she would have to share. Luna had really helped her come to understand that. And in more ways than one.

The two had stayed up late the night before when the blond witch noticed Hermione's look. Luna had helped her realize that Harry, first and foremost, was far from limited in the amount of love he had to share. She also reminded her that the rest of them were playing catch up to Harry's vast compassion for his bushy haired friend. This made Hermione smile, especially when Luna over dramatically described Harry as the shining knight in armor seeking revenge after she had been killed. He had been an avenging Angel.

Her avenging Angel.

But Luna reminded her that he had saved them all. Luna could once more have children to share her own passion for life with and Harry was slowly rebuilding her faith in humanity. Padma had regained a part of herself when Parvati still lived. Daphne had been pulled into their groups embrace before the world could cause her to lose all faith and turn on it. And Anemy not only had a family again, but her soul mate.

Harry loved them all. And, Luna admitted to her, Luna loved them all as well. Perhaps one day it would grow to romantic love, but for today, she loved them all as the best friends she could possibly ever imagine, and if that was the only way to be in Harry's life, she would take it. She did hope for more however.

Of course Harry was only one man with five soul mates. Luna admitted herself having little knowledge about soul mates, but she would not mind at all having that group of friends as her soul mates either. And she acknowledged that, when the time came, if Harry was involved with one Luna might not mind being involved with another.

Of course that was when the time came.

As Hermione remembered the conversation, she reluctantly admitted to herself that she agreed with Luna. The little blond witch was just as important to Hermione as Harry. Her happiness mattered. And so did Daphne, Padma, and Anemy's.

Hermione was drawn from her thoughts as a face she recognized entered the pub.

"ANEMY!" The bushy haired girl jumped from her table to go see the American witch, Luna, Padma, and Daphne close on her heels. As they approached, Harry had slid off to the side and slipped his invisibility cloak on. The last thing he needed was everyone knowing he was here.

There was a quiet conversation between Anemy and the other girls, one which included Hermione glaring over one of Anemy's shoulders. Harry laughed at this, assuming she meant for the glare to go in his direction. He was behind the other shoulder, however, so he found the moment humorous. After a few more minutes, Hermione returned to the crowd of parents.

"Daddy, do you mind if we go ahead to the Alley? You all can enjoy your coffee and we can meet you back here in time for the train?"

All four girls turned their best puppy dog eyes on their parents who laughed as they agreed. They did ask to be introduced to Anemy who quickly greeted everyone before the group marched out back. As they did, Harry pulled off the cloak. As soon as they saw him, all four girls smacked him.

"Hey, easy. What did I do?"

"What do you think you are doing here?"

"When Dumbledore finds out."

"How could you do something so foolish!"

"And to come to the Alley? Really?" Harry raised his hands in an attempt to placate them so he could speak.

"Easy, I understand. Anemy fought me on it for a while as well. But I couldn't keep the goblins waiting much longer So when Dumbledore left the castle this morning-"

"Dumbledore left this morning?"

"Yes?" Harry suddenly found himself wondering why as well. What could the old coot be up to today?

"Any idea as to why?" Daphne pressed this time. They needed all the information they could get. They were still only eleven years old. While they had the knowledge for much more power and experience, they actually lacked the power besides perhaps Harry at the moment. In addition, there was really no way for someone under the age of 17 to be removed from the control of guardians. For the magical guardian to be removed, the ministry and the guardian needed to acknowledge the individual as an adult. The Legal guardian, while they could allow the child to live elsewhere, could not be removed unless there was indisputable proof of abuse. The Dursley's had been very good at hiding it, the group had learned, as Hermione convinced Harry to share about his time there with the other girls. It had led to a long crying and cuddling session.

"Not particularly, but considering the looks he has been giving me recently, it cannot be anything good. But we can deal with that later. I need to get to the bank and get Anemy and I back to Hogwarts. Would you ladies care to join us?"

After he had spoken, the group agreed it was time to move off and made their way through the magically formed archway and down the Alley itself, arriving at the front of the Bank. With a close lipped smile, Harry entered and approached an open teller. With a nod of his head, but not too much since that was a sign of weakness to show one's neck to another, Harry spoke.

"Hello Teller. Go an inform Vaultlord Griphook Harry Potter has arrived to speak with him as he has the time."

This took the goblin by shock. The bank had been well informed by Albus Dumbledore that the reason Harry Potter had not visited them for ten years was that he despised Goblins. His hatred had become renowned to the point that goblin mothers used him as a threat. 'go to bed or Harry Potter will get you.'

That was nothing like the young man before him.

Of course the word from Griphook as well as Ragnock's own guard stated differently, but a decade's worth of cruel words spoken with very little positive was difficult to break. As such, it was a very shocked bank teller who shortly led the group to a newly refurbished office of the new vaultlord of the Potter estate.

"Greetings Mr. Potter. Welcome to you and yours."

"And we thank you for your hospitality. I apologize for the short notice of my impending visit, but there were…complications. Also, didn't I ask you to call me Harry?" While goblins were certainly blood thirsty creatures, Harry never understood why there was so much discussed about blood with people trying to be respectful. Harry's discussions with the injured Griphook in the previous timeline told him that while goblins greeted one another in such a manner, the same coming from any other magical creatures was viewed as an insult and possible declaration of war. Being in the banking industry, many goblins had learned to deal with it, but it was still uncomfortable.

"Nothing to worry about Mr. Potter. And as we are in a professional setting, I shall continue to refer to you as Mr. Potter if that is alright. Please do have a seat. Might I offer you or your companions any refreshments?" The Potter fortune was large. Easily top ten in the British Isles. Muggle or magical and top five magical. The five largest magical fortunes were the cornerstones of the Gringotts lending system. Along with Black, Bones, Malfoy, and Nott, as well as the Hogwarts account, the bank had enough gold to support any and all financial endeavors. With gold on that level represented, you did your best not to offend. Harry may have to wait till his 17th birthday until he had access to this and could actually pull it, but the young wizard had already seen Griphook elevated from a lowly cart runner to a full vaultlord. Griphook would help as he could.

"Forgive my own impatience, Griphook, but I am fine without the refreshments. I am more curious about what Gringotts has found."

"Ah, of course. Allow me to see if Master Ragnock is available." A few short taps on various runes later and the imposing goblin from before entered the room. Harry and his ladies stood, out of respect, though they did not bow as Griphook did. Harry wanted to work with the goblins as equals and bowing to their leader would not allow that to happen.

"Mr. Potter! Welcome back to our hallowed walls. I am glad you could join us. We do have much to discuss." Here there was a pointed look at the female companions which had accompanied Harry. Stifling a sigh, Harry indicated the women with him.

"Each of these has my utmost trust. Anything shared here shall find its way to their ears regardless of their hearing it now. I would prefer to eliminate the middle man, as the muggle saying goes." There was a roar of laughter from the fierce goblin.

"Indeed. Very well then, do have a seat. First shall we discuss our investigation of your vaults?" At Harry's nod, he continued. "We have discovered that there were authorized transfers from your vault many times over the past several years. There was 100 Galleons a month delivered to the muggle account of Vernon and Petunia Dursley since November of 1981, 50 Galleons a month transferred to the account of one Albus Dumbledore, and the cost of Hogwarts tuition, multiplied by some amount, transferred to the account of one Molly Weasley each year since 1981 as well. Seeing as the potter account earns roughly 500 Galleons in interest monthly, this was negligible to the account. It does mean, however, that rather than the account growing it has been more or less stagnant."

Ragnock paused while the group of humans before him took this in. There was a righteous fire in some eyes while shock shown in others. One did look confused. From the looks of her, he assumed she was American. The magical and muggle governments there had long ago agreed to use a similar currency, so his description of Galleons probably did not mean much to her. After a few minutes to collect themselves, Harry motioned for the goblin leader to continue.

"While the magical guardian should not have the right to do this himself, it was discovered that you had supposedly signed off on all of this. EX-Vaultlord Blackfang had the appropriate forms on file bearing Albus Dumbledore's signature as well as your own. Considering you were a mere fifteen months old when these forms were approved I find this…disturbing to say the least."

The room suddenly felt tense. Harry was angry. He was disappointed. Once more his faith which he had placed in the Weasley's as well as Albus Dumbledore were being shown as misplaced. Calling it infuriating did not do the feelings justice. As such, his magic was pooling and swirling around his body. It was only when he felt the hands of all five women reach out to touch him that he noted his feelings and reigned them in. It would not do them any good to be slain for magic happening in the bank, particularly in front of the goblin leader.

"My apologies Master Ragnock, this has all been a tad shocking to myself."

"To us as well. We learned further that the reason Blackfang was sending your information to Dumbledore, though this went against banking policy was because, according to him, you hated goblins. Albus Dumbledore had apparently confirmed this and as such, both agreed that the goblins would never contact you directly. It is, I am disappointed to admit, part of the reason you did receive such a cold welcome on your first trip here."

Harry waved off the old goblin's apology. While he knew the goblins looked intimidating, it was not their fault. They had been played by the master manipulator himself.

"So what do we do about all of this?"

"Quite simple, I feel. Unless you plan to confront Mr. Dumbledore himself, we will cancel all transfers under the consideration that you, now being eleven, must reaffirm the transfers in person. He already knows Blackfang no longer manages your account. We informed him it was due to interbank issues. While we are not entirely sure he bought it, he has yet to address the issue with us."

Harry smiled at the wiliness of the goblins before him. If they could manage to keep Dumbledore from realizing Harry knew about his money, that would be incredible. After a few more minutes ironing out details surrounding the case being built against Dumbledore, Harry asked another question which was on his mind.

"Master Ragnock, Vaultlord Griphook, is there a simpler way to carry my funds? Carrying a bag loaded with gold seems difficult and painful at times. There are also limitations."

The two shared a smile before Griphook spoke.

"Mr. Potter, we do offer an alternative. Since your key is tied to your vault, we can do a direct transfer between vaults. While I would not encourage this for something as small as a few Galleons, for larger amounts it can be done. Simply request a direct transfer and the store owner shall offer a form. Sign the form, then press your key and wand to the signature at the same time. The store owner should write their own name and the amount at the top before you do so, just to confirm everything. Once this is complete, the form is magically moved here where we cause the transfer to occur."

"That would be much better. Now for the big question for today. Inheritances!"

"Indeed. Mr. Potter, I must ask, is there anything you know about your history?"

Harry placed a thoughtful hand to his chin. Dumbledore had suspected him to be a descendant of Godric Gryffindor, but beyond that he only knew the potter name.

"I have been told I may be related to Godric Gryffindor."

At these words, Harry was thrown off when Griphook, Ragnock, Luna, and Daphne all proceeded to laugh. It took a few minutes before Griphook addressed the indignant look on Harry's face.

"I apologize Mr. Potter, but your family has lived in the British Isles since before Hogwarts was founded. I would be shocked if you only had one of the founders in your line. In fact, I would go so far as to guess that somewhere along the line, even Miss granger has founder blood in her line. The founders were not known for their…commitment, shall we say, to a partner. They were well versed in sexual ritual magic and as such, children born out of wedlock were rather common. However, since these were the children of Hogwarts founders, easily the strongest witches and wizards of their time, most families took them in and gave their own names to the child. And you are correct, you bear roots with Godric as well as Helga Hufflepuff. We cannot find ties to Rowena nor Salzar, but that is not to say they do not exist."

Harry seemed a bit put out still by everyone laughing at him. With a pouting look on his face, he turned once more to the goblins.

"So then what is so special about my inheritance? Lots of money? Anything exciting?"

"Why does every human assume inheritances include some great pile of wealth?" Griphook muttered this line to himself, but it was loud enough for the rest to hear and Harry, to his credit, did turn a bit red and looked ashamed. Ragnock cleared his throat and took over for his younger colleague.

"No, Mr. Potter, it is very rare for an inheritance these days to include money or property. Most of those have been joined with your own line already. As such, any money from those inheritances or properties have already been placed with the potter fortune.

"No, the importance of an inheritance test is to determine which families you belong to. The purpose for this relates to magic. See, each family has their own brand of magic. These magics are tracked in the family grimoire. Things learned and taught specifically to the family are kept there. This is the real reason purebloods fear losing power so much. Loss of power could lead to the explosion of this knowledge." He paused seeing the angry expression forming on Hermione's face at being kept from any form of knowledge.

"Please calm yourself, Miss Granger. The fact is that much of this magic not only requires the blood of a descendant to read it from a grimoire, but to practice it as well. It is truly not as simple as knowing the spells, charms, hexes, jinxes, or rituals. It requires the blood flowing through you, or at least a magical bond. Hence, when someone marries, they can learn the new magic.

"But it is still more complex than that. For example, each person here carries a magical tradition in their blood, but it can only be shared through a marriage bond or the like. For example, should Miss Green grass marry Mister Potter, he could share his grimoire with her and she with him, but could not share with her sister or parents."

Giving that a moment to seep in, Ragnock continued, ready to finally inform Mr. Potter of his family tradition.

"Mr. Potter, you actually are the heir to some of the oldest magics the world knows from traditions long forgotten. I can tell you what they are, but based on rules set by the families and woven into the magics of the grimoires, you will have to be of a certain age to access each one."

"Each one?"

"Indeed, Mr. Potter. There are three of them. I cannot tell you anything of the magic within, but each is held in a vault in various Potter properties. The Potter's were strange in that they did keep their family grimoire here. Most wizarding families refuse to do so.

"Not that it matters. The Potter grimoire is actually the oldest of these, but you cannot access this piece of magic until you turn seventeen. On your fourteenth birthday, you will gain access the Pella grimoire."

Harry heard Hermione gasp at this and all eyes turned to her, waiting for her to share.

"Pella, while I do not know the name, was where Alexander the Great was from."

"Right you are, Miss Granger, that is indeed the roots behind the Pella Grimoire."

Harry froze. He had already realized the reason he decided not to take the Potter Grimoire with him before was the magic upon the book, discouraging him from taking it before he could access it. Now the painting of Grandfather, that is Alex, suddenly made more sense.

"Wow."

"Wow indeed. And finally, the grimoire you can currently access as it reveals itself upon the eleventh birthday, the Ptolemy one. All we have gained is that it is rooted in Egyptian magic if the cover and style are anything to go on. In reviewing the Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow, we actually managed to recover this grimoire. Would you care for it?"

"Yes please, master Ragnock."

Harry carefully cradled the book in his arms as it was given to him. He managed his goodbyes to the goblins and carefully returned to the alley with his soul mates.

After quickly saying good byes and giving everyone a kiss, it was with a large grin that Harry apparated he and Anemy back to the basement of Honeydukes so they could return to Hogwarts before they were missed.

He had a lot of reading to do, it looked like.


	19. Chapter 19: A Stone, Game, and a Kiss

Harry was in the locker room suiting up for his second game of Quidditch in this time line. Something must have changed because his first match had been against Hufflepuff and Harry was reminded of how truly terrible they were this year. Cedric was currently in his first year on the team playing chaser. The older boy was far better suited to being a seeker and when he changed next year, the team would improve in leaps and bounds.

But this year they were still terrible. Harry's catch of the snitch had not mattered much by the time he did so, since the Lions were up 150 points. In addition, the snitch had just appeared by Harry's ear and the young man had reached out to catch it. While his friends had been happy for him, though Anemy was disappointed in the Badgers, they all admitted it was probably the easiest game Harry had ever played in. Plus, for some reason Quirrel was not even at the game.

All of that changed today. Today the Gryffindor team, the oldest being Wood as a fifth year, were taking on Slytherin, the youngest being a fifth year. Size differences showed as well. Wood was the biggest member of the Gryffindor team, but every player in green had at least a stone on him. That was not to mention that each one was around the height of the twins who, while tall for their age, were just starting their puberty drive growth spurts. And Quirrel had been confirmed as sitting in the audience.

Harry, after dressing, began to reflect on his last month, since the return from Gringotts, to calm his mind.

Upon the return of the express, dinner began. Harry had to face some very uncomfortable stares from both Dumbledore and Snape. Quirrel did a better job at hiding his, but in doing so it left Harry reminiscent of the stereotypical pedophile in dramas on the telly. Had he not known who was truly in control of Quirrel, the sly looks and slight grin would have probably bothered Harry more than a mere homicidal murder planning to kill him hiding beneath the turban.

Shortly after dinner, Harry had indeed been called to the Headmasters office. McGongall had come with him and there was a great deal of apologizing to Harry for misinterpreting the rules and making assumptions. Harry made sure not to look at the old man directly, knowing his anger was already well on its way to exploding and therefore stood no chance of detecting, let alone stopping a Legilimency probe. As the old man ended his show, Harry had slowly picked his arguments apart, ensuring that McGongall heard every word. He kept talking late enough to ensure it was well past curfew by the time he finished, ensuring that McGongall would have to walk him back and therefore could not be charmed between his leaving and her starting her rant.

The news had spread among the staff, causing more chaos for Dumbledore who was now playing full retreat and Harry was loving every moment of it. And then, about a week later, a few owls arrived for Dumbledore, including one Harry knew to be from Gringotts. Once more Harry had been summoned to the manipulative bastard's office. The old man had tried to get him to sign some forms regarding his accounts, but Harry had played that off well. He had asked what they were about and when Albus had mentioned money, Harry let his jaw drop.

"I have Money!?"

Harry had ensured McGongall was in the room once more for this, though the headmaster had called for this meeting during one of her classes while Harry had a free period. Harry had not shown up for the meeting and during dinner, McGongall had been sent to see why. When Harry explained the situation, McGongall called the old man out in front of the great hall and offered to attend the meeting directly after dinner. Harry was starting to wonder if he could push Dumbledore out of his life by the end of the school year at this rate.

What Harry was unaware of was that Albus attended the Wizengamot meeting the next week where he masterfully manipulated the large group of "respected" elders to give the headmaster the authority to obliviate anyone anytime. Well, he had actually managed to get them to pass a law stating that "The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Sorcery cannot be brought up on Legal charges for performing any type of magic, beyond the unforgivable, in defense of the school."

Of course that was so loosely worded that it practically meant that Dumbledore, as long as he held the seat, could not get in legal trouble for anything. Now all he had to do was once more confirm the danger that Mr. Potter was with the School board and there was no way they would remove him.

During this time, Harry had continued to meet with his study group, now working in ways to spend time each week with each of his soul mates. They were all becoming quite close and Harry often found himself being invited to small get togethers that the five women had planned.

Harry had begun taking tea every Sunday afternoon with Hagrid, which led once more to their freakout when Hagrid had Norbert's egg. With the Twins masterful assistance, they had once more managed to get to the astronomy tower and deliver the fiery bundle to the elder Weasley. This had also led to the information about Fluffy, giving Harry the cover he needed to go after the stone.

That process, done the night before with Hermione, Luna, and Neville's assistance, had actually been far simpler than he had ever imagined. There was some quick work from Harry, with a bit of a boost from Hermione, to suspend all the sensory wards surrounding the entrance. Definitely Dumbledore's work, wanting to know when he had gone. Fluffy literally rolled over so Luna could rub his belly, The Devil's Snare gently sat Neville down before, albeit reluctantly, releasing the rest. Harry once more made short work of the key.

The surprises had then come. It turned out that Neville was quite the chess player. He had been such a timid boy in the previous timeline that he had never played a match with Ron. That said, he managed to defeat McGongall's chess board in four moves. Not overly complex and a quick game that even Harry knew. He had simply assumed everyone knew how to deal with this and therefore it could not have been that simple. Neville proved that witches and wizards, however, sometimes overlook the simplest of solutions. And just like that they were through.

To the troll.

But again, surprises were in store. As the other three began to crowd to develop a plan for taking on the beast, Luna marched right up to it. This was a sight to see as this was not a mountain troll which peaked at around 12 feet. No, this was indeed a rock troll. They had tougher skin, meaning physical attacks as well as magical were practically useless. And they generally stood around 15 feet. Luna, by comparison, was the shortest of their small group and at 11 barely stood at 4 feet. She was also the slightest, which was saying something seeing as Harry was still in his malnourished eleven-year-old body, no matter how much this year had helped him.

This small wraith of a girl suddenly lost all dreaminess to her as she marched up to the troll and in a squeaky voice which oddly carried well in the room, she called to the troll, casually demanding it let them pass.

To their shock, this was exactly what the creature did, even bowing its head toward the blond. Luna turned to smile at them, silver eyes shining fully as her dreamy grin returned.

"And that is why you should have let us come on Halloween."

As Harry stood gaping, Hermione and Neville broke into laughter as the four progressed to the next room. Once more they faced the flames and the potions. Harry, Luna, and Neville moved over to begin reading the riddle. Harry failed to notice Hermione move to the flames themselves. As she cast a spell, Harry was shocked.

"No way. That easy?"

"Of course Harry. You finished the potion. If it was not that simple, how else would Dumbledore have ever gotten to you without Snape having to brew more of his special fire-resistant potion?"

Harry stared through the flames, frozen by a simple flame freezing charm, to see the mirror standing beyond. Harry slowly began to approach with the other three behind him when he felt a compulsion charm. It was trying to get him to sit and wait for the white haired one to come. With a smile, Harry looked into the mirror just in time to feel the rock drop into his pocket. He decided it was time to put some of what he had been reading in the Ptolemy Grimoire to use.

Ptolemy was a line which after the fall of Alexander the Great had become the rulers of Egypt. As the ruling class was made of witches and wizards, and taking Alexander's Hellenistic approach of maintaining the cultures they conquered, Ptolemy had married into the ruling line himself. And this had given him access to ancient Egyptian magic.

See, what few knew was that Egyptians were the first and true masters of Transfiguration. They could do things which made McGongall looks like a novice. And considering that Transfiguration's rediscovery was merely around 150 years old, that made sense as well. Egyptians had taken their magic from the fall of Atlantis. The ancient cultures Guild of Transmutation had settled into the Nile valley and eventually collected its people to create the Egyptian society. Their abilities in Transfiguration, or Transmutation as they referred to it because the two were indeed tied, was why Egyptian Gods were viewed often times as humans with animal heads of some sort. In fact, the master of the guild when they had first arrived, Phelan Tothen, had become the cultures God of Wisdom and Magic. His successor, who had done much more to establish the culture and define a ruling class, was named Ramus Sol. It was rather simple to see why he had become the representation of their Sun God as well as leader among the Gods.

So Harry had read and begun to practice transmutation as it was taught. Modern cultures had actually adapted this magic into two fields, known in modern times as Alchemy and Transfiguration. While today they had different applications and results, in antiquity the connections were well known and if you studied one, it was anticipated you would study the other because they were aligned on the same root principles.

So Harry managed through pure strength of will to throw off the compulsion charm before quickly transfiguring a rock into a perfect copy of the Sorcerer's Stone, complete with magical signature. The work was so complete, that unless someone actually attempted to use the rock, they would never know the difference. Harry then turned to his companions and noting the looks in their eyes decided he would have to take drastic actions. He had placed his friends in stasis before gently turning them into strips of cloth. He then gently placed the cloth into his pocket and threw on his cloak just as Dumbledore swept into the room. The old man looked shocked to find the room empty, but after checking the mirror seemed less concerned. It was at this point where Harry moved to quickly sneak back through the tasks. He just managed to stay ahead of Dumbledore and make his was back to the Gryffindor Tower.

It had taken a few minutes after returning his friends to their original shapes, several apologies, and an explanation where they finally relented and thanked him. Hermione also seemed set on learning whatever the heck Harry had managed to learn. That wealth of knowledge meant a great deal to the young witch.

Unfortunately, as she had attempted to read the grimoire with Harry, the words made no sense to her, proving the magic behind the book would be stopping her. While one day they would bond in a way to allow her to read, it became apparent that a initiated soul bond would not allow that.

Not that Hermione needed much more knowledge. At this point, she was well beyond NEWT level for Charms, Arithmency, and Potions. Her other courses were at least at NEWT Level. Even with everyone else having come back, Hermione was above and beyond them all academically. For the meantime, she would handle that.

Hedwig had left the next morning seeking Nicholas and Pernelle Flamel with both the stone and a note attached.

Harry shook the memories from his head as he came back to the game. Wood had just finished his pre-game speech, one Harry could give in his sleep and the rest of the team would be able to do so by the end of the year. It was with a tight stomach that Harry moved and flew into the pitch as Lee Jordan called his name.

"…And finally, the youngest seeker in a century! You know him, you love him, he will be the bane of Slytherin's existence-"

"Jordan!"

"Sorry professor, but he will. Here he is, Harry Potter!"

The crowd roared as both teams gathered for Madame Hooch's pre-game announcements and reminders. Harry could already see the gleam in several eyes, mostly directed at him. It was the look which Marcus Flint was giving one Katie Bell which truly bothered him. Harry had seen that look and after talks with Luna knew exactly what Flint had become. Harry would not be allowing that to happen if he could help it.

With the release of the bludgers and snitch, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and threw the Quaffle. The game had begun.

Harry took a quick slow sweep of the pitch, attempting to see if he could find the snitch and end the match quickly. On his Numbus 2000, a broom which Harry adored if only because it was his first true broom, Harry rolled as Bludgers passed and he thoroughly enjoyed the way the match was progressing.

"And Spinnet has the Quaffle. Flint tries to steal but the Quaffle goes to Johnson. Look at her fly, ladies and gentlemen. With a figure like that, she could ride my-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry professor, but you have to admit…well, anyway. Johnson shoots…she scores!"

Harry was snickering at Lee's commentary. While crude, it was entertaining to say the least. Harry was looking forward to hearing more when he noticed the Slytherin Beaters moving to a position based on what Flint was telling them. It was just then that Harry noticed Katie had the Quaffle once more. Since she was not being disturbed or challenged for it, she was charging straight down the pitch. Looking at positions, Harry knew exactly what was coming. At the last second he dropped directly between the two beaters and Katie, with Flint slightly to the side and behind him, waiting to snag the Quaffle.

Then Harry pulled a stunt which would be talked about for ages at Hogwarts.

It would also be spoken of in the Potter home for generations as the stupidest move any Potter had ever done, and that was saying something.

Harry kicked the bludger.

Well, not directly. An iron cannonball heading in one direction and trying to kick it in the other would have been stupid even with steel toed boots. No, with his thick leather boots, Harry kicked the ball to redirect it. As he felt something snap, Harry knew he had broken something. He was just in time to watch the bludger redirect into a very surprised Marcus Flint before the combination of another bludger connecting full force with his chest and Quirrel's jinx taking effect tossing Harry from his seat. It was all he could do to reach out with one hand and hold on. Had Flint not been unseated from his own broom, he probably would have taken the opportunity to take a pass close enough to end Harry's desperate grasp on the bucking broom.

In the stands, Harry's soul mates who were seated together with the exception of Daphne, fearing what would happen should she associate with Harry at such a tense event, were all looking on with terror. It was Hermione who caused the commotion. As others stared in shock, including Madam Hooch and the entire Gryffindor team, Hermione moved to charge over to the stands where Quirrel sat. While this was going on, Flint took advantage and scored 70 unanswered points, placing Slytherin twenty points ahead after the match which had already occurred.

Finally, completely out of breath and with Neville close behind, Hermione reached her target. She was already annoyed with anyone who would being Voldemort into Harry's life and therefore did not really care what happened to Quirrel. She sent a focused but powerful banishing hex directly at the back of his leg before taking off herself.

Quirrel was shaken from his concentration as he felt his lower leg break. The sudden pain was awful and in the chaos which ensued, no one was able to note who the offending party was. Madam Pomfrey, who was really on hand for the match and players, quickly sent the bone but informed him that it would be tender for the rest of the day and to take it easy.

In the meantime, Harry had reclaimed his broom and the match had resumed. Harry was focused now. With that over, it was time to end this before anyone else got severely injured. Harry caught sight of the snitch and was prepared to move for it when he heard the gasp of the crowd and a scream. Harry saw where a bludger, knocked from very close range by Marcus Flint, had struck Katie Bell in the back and knocked her clear of her broom. With the action elsewhere, Harry was the only one even remotely close to the poor witch. And even he was unsure he was close enough. As Katie began to accelerate to a very painful sudden stop, Harry urged his broom toward her. When the broom suddenly stopped, about a foot before he could safely grab Katie, Harry did not. His momentum threw him directly into Katie and the two, now only a mere 60 feet off the ground, began to plummet.

Harry knew this was bad. Best case scenario would be a very painful recovery for both of them. While Harry would have preferred not to demonstrate his magic or knowledge, he needed to save Katie.

Curse his 'saving people thing' as Hermione so often reminded him.

With a sobbing Katie in one arm, Harry managed an incredible feat of wandless magic to conjure a massive inflatable bag beneath them. Muggleborn and some half-blood students recognized this as similar to the objects stuntmen used when jumping off buildings. The rest of the crowd looked entirely confused until the two players landed in it.

Without a moment's hesitation, the entire staff and most of Gryffindor rushed the field. There were a few tense minutes as they waited for the bag to collapse on itself. Lying in the middle, with a sobbing Katie crying into his chest, was Harry Potter.

The tension was broken as the Gryffindor began to cough and what should pop out of his mouth but a golden snitch.

For all that things change…they remain the same.

It was in that tense moment when Harry fainted.

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

"He will be ok, won't he Madam Pomfrey?"

"I'm not sure dears. We shall have to see how he feels when he wakes."

"When who wakes?" Harry immediately wished he had not spoken. His head was throbbing and the moment they heard his voice, there were one million questions being directed at him. Seeing his grimace, Madam Pomfrey stepped in.

"That is enough! I need to speak with my patient, if you all do not mind!"

Harry still had not opened his eyes. He heard feet shuffle off, some taking several minutes. Still the matron did not turn her attention to him. He was confused for a moment before he heard why.

"That includes you, Headmaster!"

"Ah, Poppy, come now surely-"

"No! I need to work and I need to speak with Mister Potter. After that, I will update you with what he allows me to."

"I am his magical guardian."

"Indeed. And as such, you have access to his magical records, such as underage use of magic, school enrollment, and any legal trouble he gets into within the ministry. You are also supposed to represent him in cases with the board, but that seems like a conflict of interest if you ask me. That is why muggleborns have their head of house as their magical guardian! His medical record, however, falls nowhere within that scope unless he grants it. Do you understand, Headmaster?"

Harry had opened his eyes to watch this exchange. Albus was not done yet, however.

"Indeed, and seeing as his legal guardians cannot come here to check on him-"

"Do not worry. Since that is required, I will be notifying them shortly."

"I'm not sure that is necessary. Surely you could share the details with me and I will send the appropriate ones to his-"

"Enough ALBUS! I have spent too long ignoring my oath for when I became a healer to let you run this school as you seem to think fit. You run the school, but I will be running my infirmary! Now get out!"

The entire scene had been observed by certain other patients. Katie Bell was in a bed just a little way down with the rest of the Gryffindor team around her since they had been driven away from Harry. Harry's little study group was near the door, waiting to be allowed near Harry once more. With a grimace around the room, Albus began to draw his wand.

"I'm sorry, but for the defense of Hogwarts-"

He was cut off as Harry and, strangely, Pomfrey aimed their wands at him.

"I would reconsider your next words, Headmaster. Now please kindly remove yourself while I complete my task."

Harry knew this would make or break the old man. He would learn soon about the law the Wizangamot passed, which would create certain complications for him, but this did not stop the shift in public opinion. Currently, several parts of the Hogwarts rumor mill were beginning to portray the aged headmaster as either senile or evil. While he could not be charged for actions, he could be driven out.

As the two watched the old man leave the ward, Pomfrey moved to close the screens. As she turned back to Harry, she had the most tender look he had ever known the old matron to wear.

And it scared him.

"What is it Madam Pomfrey?" Harry's own voice quivered. This was not a good thing.

"Well, let's start with why the hell you decided to kick an iron ball. That one led to three broken bones in the foot. Two I could have fixed, but the third was shattered. So I vanished the three and you will have to take a dose of skelegrow. That does mean you will be remaining with me this evening."

Harry smiled at her attempt at levity. The smile quickly faded as he saw an almost pained look in her eyes. He gently reached out and the older witch jumped as his hand made contact with hers. She refocused on him, fighting her own tears.

"Please?" With a deep breath, Madam Pomfrey jumped into her explanation.

"Mr. Potter…Harry, there is something difficult I need to tell you." Now Harry's mind was racing. The stern woman had called him Harry? This was bad. BAD.

"Ok…?"

"Mr. Potter, do you remember after your duel, there was a shift in your magical core?"

"Yes. Something to do with a block as I was told?"

"Quite right. It turns out your core was much large than we initially anticipated. Well, something else has now happened, but not nearly as positive as that."

There was a tense moment and Harry was becoming annoyed. What could be so bad?

"Please continue Madam. I need to know." She nodded her head, tears now fully forming.

"Mr. Potter, I would like to first say that your incredible show of magic saved two lives today, including your own. You are a selfless and incredible young man and I am honored to have the privilege to care for you. But the magic, it was beyond your system, especially to do wandlessly. Your magical core? It cracked."

"Cracked?" Harry was a tad confused as to where the matron was going with all of this.

"Yes Harry. Sometimes when overworked, magical cores tend to fracture. When this happens, there is a break in their magic, leading to a decrease in magical power. Students are often times led to relax. This happens often enough that we know how to heal it.

"In your case, your magical core did not merely fracture. It split. Your magical channels will have to shift to adjust and because this has never happened in current medical knowledge, I have no idea if you will ever recover access to that half of your magic. We have discussed a great deal about Hekas? When you first arrived, you had 1221 Hekas. Decent and average. Following the duel, you were at 195 Hekas, stronger than anyone on record for your age."

The elder witch closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"Currently, you have access to 105 Hekas, barely above Squib level. Your other half is also measuring that level, but we are receiving no output from that half, suggesting you cannot access it."

Harry stared into space in shock. It was one thing he had certainly not expected to happen.

In saving Katie's life, he had just cost himself one hell of an advantage in this fight he was facing.

A quick glance over at the girl who had fallen asleep and Harry knew he would have done it again. She was his friend. She needed him. So what if he would have to learn to use magic in a few new ways, it would all be ok.

Wouldn't it?

Harry broke down himself after thanking the Matron. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before moving to let his study group into the space. Even the team, Katie included made their way over. When he shared what had happened, there were looks of horror on everyone's faces. Katie broke down into tears once more.

"I'm so sorry Harry. This should have never happened to you. You should have-" She was cut off as Harry dragged the sobbing second year into his arms. He couldn't stand, but she had been deposited at the foot of his bed.

"Never apologize to me for living. Keep going like this and you might make me feel bad for doing it." Harry now turned his eyes to address the crowd which had gathered around his bed. He had friends from all four houses, individuals from several years. While his words were directed at Katie, his message was clearly meant for everyone.

"Never, EVER doubt that my friends mean everything to me and I would do anything for them. Even jumping off a broom and relearning magic if it meant saving one from an injury, let alone death." Harry ended by forcing Katie's teary eyes to face him. That was all it took. Unbeknownst to anyone else, and completely unplanned, Katie made her move.

She kissed Harry.


	20. Chapter 20: Flamels and the Year's End

Harry was positively miserable for the next few weeks. As soon as Katie had kissed him, she fled from the Hospital Wing, somehow sidestepping the Wing's matron in the process. After an apologetic look, the rest of the team had gone after her.

Harry's remaining group of friends gave him a look he knew all too well. Pity.

He hated that look.

Over the next few weeks, Harry had returned to class to find his ability to do magic severely lacking. Oh, he could still manage the charms and spells, but he would generally only be able to do it two or three times in a class before feeling drained.

He had continued to spend time each week with his soul mates. Even then it became difficult when the topic of his greatly diminished core arose. With the exception of Luna, all the others gave him that look. While he had hated it when it came from Anemy, Padma, or Daphne, it had nearly crushed him when he saw that look seep into Hermione's eyes one day while they were walking around Black Lake. The ensuing war of the words took a week before the fall out settled and Harry spoke to Hermione about why he had been so upset.

Hermione, for her part, was still rather upset with him. She had been trying to convey her concern and was unsure how her look could be taken for a pitying look. Even after his apology and explanation, she gave him the silent treatment for another few days before the two tearfully returned to one another's arms.

No, the biggest issue to arise for Harry in the aftermath of the game was quidditch. Brooms, while they were enchanted with runes, still required access to the user's magic to charge and therefore fly. It appeared Harry's magic was no longer up to the task. It had been during his first practice, a week after the event, when Harry had felt exhausted after fifteen minutes of flying. As Harry moved to land, he felt the broom give out. Luckily for him, he had been close enough to the ground to tuck and roll without injuring himself.

That did not make for a very happy Harry.

He had even been forced to miss the final game of the season against Ravenclaw due to this. The game had been a disaster for Gryffindor. Katie had been forced to play Seeker while somehow Connor McLaggen had managed to sneak his way into the starting lineup of chasers. The boy was a show off. Had he ever learned to work with a team, Harry decided, he could have been mediocre. In not doing so, he was simply giving away points to the Claws and even with Katie finally catching the snitch after nearly four hours, the Lions lost by a sizable margin. Enough, in fact, that they would not win the Cup.

And Worse, Katie still seemed to be avoiding him. He had asked Angelina and Alicia what was going on, but both had merely shrugged and stated to give her some time. At the practice he had attended and the game, Katie would not even look at him.

It was in this situation, the week of exams, that Harry found himself. He had barely paid attention to anyone or anything that day, besides Luna and Hermione marching him to Breakfast after Neville had dragged him out of bed.

And it was in this situation Harry met individuals he had never expected to.

"Hello Mr. Potter."

Harry had been wandering the Lake at a loss when he heard these words. He had thought at first it may be a professor, but he highly doubted that. This was a voice he had not recognized. Turning very slowly, Harry saw an elderly man and a woman who appeared just as old standing arm in arm, smiling at him.

The man stood just taller than Harry himself. He was well built, or at least had been once. He had a pure white beard which was trimmed closely to his face. Over his shoulder, Harry could see the long snow white locks drawn into a ponytail. His face showed well-worn laugh lines not to mention the odd scar.

The woman stood a few inches taller, and she appeared just as elderly. She was a slender woman and you could tell that in her younger days, she had been a beauty beyond equal. But none of this is what kept Harry's eyes focused on her. No, it was the long hair. White mostly white, there were still streaks of black and a slight wildness to it which reminded Harry of his own. It was…interesting.

"Hello Mister…?"

"Ah, yes. We will get to that in a moment. Would you mind if we were seated? Our old bones do not handle standing quite as well as they used to." At his laugh, his companion slapped his arm playfully before drawing a wand.

"Here, allow me."

With a slight wave, Harry stood in amazement as a table with a lovely comfortable looking bench appeared on one side and a seat appeared nearest him. Doing his best to get his floundering looks under control, Harry moved to take the seat indicated by the man.

"I suppose we should introduce ourselves and thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Quite, but we shall get to that in just a moment. To begin with, my name is Nicholas and this is my wife Pernelle. We are the Flamels."

Harry sat with his mouth gaping once more before remembering his manners.

"It's n-nice to m-meet you both."

"No, the pleasure is all ours." Pernelle offered a smile which Harry could only describe as grandmotherly. It had all the makings of imparting wisdom while sharing kindness, caring, and concern. It made him feel…safe. Nicholas spoke next, drawing the attention back to himself.

"See Mr. Potter, there are a number of things we need to speak to you about. The first of which is based on a recent injury I believe you obtained while performing magic?"

Harry immediately tensed up. Here, sitting before him, were the oldest witch and wizard to currently walk the earth. They had come to see him for some reason, which thrilled him. And the first thing they ask about is something he has been trying to avoid talking about or thinking about for nearly a month. Harry suddenly had a hard set to his face. He was waiting, almost daring them to give him that pitying look.

What he did not expect, however, was laughter.

Sure enough, Nicholas let out with a massive roaring laughter. He grabbed his belly and rolled back on the bench. Harry relaxed a tad into a confused look while Pernelle smacked Nicholas on the arm once more. Harry could see the mirth in her eyes as well.

"Oh you are a Potter, no doubt about that. I can see it!" Nicholas spoke after several minutes of attempting to control his breathing.

"You can…see it?"

"Well of course. After all these years, I should be able to see Potter family traits."

Harry relaxed. He assumed the elder man meant due to having lived for so long. Nicholas' next words would end that belief.

"You see, Mr. Potter, we are family." Harry stared, gobsmacked, as he attempted to find his footing once more. It took several minutes for his to say anything, both Flamels simply sitting and waiting.

"Family?"

"Of course! My Dear Pernelle here is a member of the Potter family. Surely you recognize that wild mane of hair?"

Harry turned to look at the elder woman. Whatever he had expected to see, tears were not it. There was a sad smile gracing her lips while she watched him.

"It is true Harry. Before marrying Nick, I was Pernelle Artemis Potter, born 1321. I attended Hogwarts. Was placed in Ravenclaw by our dear sorting hat. After graduating, I moved abroad. I wanted to become an alchemist, since it tied in so nicely with our family magic."

"Then she had the terrible misfortune of meeting myself. Nicholas Pontoise Flamel, born 1330. I was privately raised, but my family were well known alchemist already. I was apprenticed under my father at the time and Pernelle here was taken on as well.

"In the end, it was one of the greatest things to ever happen to either of us."

"Quite. Many assume I was wealthy due to previous marriages. I never married nor loved any besides Nicholas. It was my small inheritance from the Potter family which granted me wealth, but many non-magical people could not explain that so the story was built. Gave me a bit of a reputation as a black widow." Pernelle had a grin on her face at this. Nicholas continued their story. Harry merely watched in shock.

"Indeed. And Mr. Potter, I am sure you are aware of the roots of your Ptolemy family?" Harry nodded.

"And please call me Harry." This drew a grin from both elders.

"So, Harry, you know the history of your family. My own specialized on Alchemy while yours was rooted in Transmutation. From my family came the secret to starting the Stone, while from your own came the secret of how to complete it."

"Yes, thank you for returning it to us by the way."

"Now, about the stone itself. There is much people do not know about it. But we will get to that in just a moment. First, to your medical concern. Harry, you have a cracked magical core. The first in recorded history, I do believe?"

At Harry's sad nod, Pernelle moved instantly to his side and drew him into a hug. This was an action Harry had not expected. The hug itself, however, was delightful. Harry had only ever experienced Hermione's hugs, which while warm, would crack a lesser man's bones. Then there had been Molly Weasley's hugs, ones which smothered, as opposed to sharing love and concern. This hug reminded Harry of something. He was unsure as to what exactly, but he reveled in the hug itself. After a few minutes, the elder woman released her hold and returned to her seat. Harry turned his attention back to face a suspiciously red-eyed Nicholas Flamel.

"Yes, well, Harry, you are not, in fact, the first person to face this issue. But to explain, I must tell you about this stone." Harry watched as Nicholas Flamel raised the very stone which Harry had saved and sent to him just a few months prior. Harry had assumed that Hedwig had delivered it when she returned lacking her previous burden, but he appreciated the confirmation.

"Yes, this was quite a feat of magic. An Alchemical substance, created through Flamel family magic, and then completed using a masterful piece of transmutation. But there are things to keep in mind. For example, I do not believe this process could ever be repeated. The level and price of the transmutation would require a soul bond, something which is rarely seen. It would also require both the particular alchemical secret, held by the Flamel family, and the knowledge of transmutation, held only by the Potter family which I am aware of.

"And before you ask if we could repeat the process, it would surely kill either or both of us. See, the cost of the transmutation is a portion of one's soul. But not any soul. The soul must be pure of all taint. In our case, the soul bond which formed just before we "died" in the non-magical world purified our souls. But the process itself attempted to take our souls. Are you aware the soul is directly tied to the magical core?"

Harry nodded. This was already a great deal to take in. He was not entirely sure where he would be going next with this information or what the Flamels were getting at.

"So we dove in head first as a young couple in their 80's, focused on our gift to mankind. See, since the Stone is able to perform transmutation itself, it requires souls to be transmuted into pure energy. The magic attempted to do this to us. It nearly cost me my wife to perform it. It did cost us both. My wife was cursed to never bear children again. Luckily we had already had a child by then. For me, as I broke the Stone's connection with Pernelle, my own core shattered and split in two." There was a tense moment as the two elder individuals held to one another. After composing themselves, Pernelle continued this harrowing tale.

"When we awoke, the stone did exist. But my own connection to my family had been shattered. My knowledge of the potter magic itself was gone, as I was no longer considered a Potter by magic. That was what happened when I was made barren. Nick could not feel his magic. And there, taunting us, was this piece of stone.

"It took us a few years to recover our wits. We finally decided to try out this piece of incredible magic we had created and found that it did, indeed, do many things we had expected. We turned a bit of gold to sell before settling on the most mythical aspect of the stone. Eternal life."

"Harry, what do you know about how wizards and witches live so long?" Nicholas seemed to be recovered enough as he opened the questioning.

"Well, ummm…magic?" This drew another roaring laugh from Nicholas.

"Yes, a Potter indeed. You are quite right, but there is a reason for that. The soul in your body is eternal to an extent. It is a part of a much larger existence and inhabits your body for a time. The reason some of us have magic and others none is due to the size of the soul. The greater the soul, the more magic. The more magic, the longer one lives."

Both watched as Harry's head drooped, knowing exactly what he was thinking. Nicholas reached out and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Harry, what do you know about Hekas?"

"They measure the power of a witch or wizard." Harry was almost despondent in his answer. Nicholas decided to press forward.

"To an extent, yes. They measure the reservoir of magic available to one for use. Some see this as power, and to an extent they are correct. Someone with 125 Hekas will have access to a much greater deal of magic to both continue casting and to cast a more powerful hex than someone with 100 Hekas. But cores grow and change. The reason the cores are so much larger as you get older does have to do with maturing in your body, but it is also connected to the regular use of magic. Like a muscle or your brain can grow and develop, so to can your magic. The level you can grow to is determined, to an extent, by the Hekas you begin with.

"Now you and I, Harry, are very unique in the wizarding world. We are one soul with two magical cores. This allows us to do things other witches and wizards cannot. For example, Magic can only be moved in one direction. This means a witch or wizard can only cast one spell at a time. Now they could keep a continuous one going while casting another, but they can only cast one at a time. We, with practice, can cast two at once wince our magic will only be pulled from one core in one direction for each spell.

"Do you know how many Hekas I had after creating our stone?"

Harry shook his head no in response.

"I was at a mere 180 Hekas. I had previously reached nearly 400, so this drop was painful. But two things saved my life. Well, two things besides my wife." This earned the old man a quick kiss on the cheek while he winked at Harry.

"The first was learning to use my second core. It is similar to learning magic in the first place, but it requires a focus and determination generally non-existent in one so young. Your letters and thoughtful actions lead us both to believe you have this ability.

"The second thing, which is not well known, is the stone itself. We discussed earlier how cores grow. Well the Stone serves as a bit of a steroid in that case. The Stone forces growth of the core, or in my case both cores. A larger core means longer life.

"Of course as you age and the body decays, it takes more and more of your magic to sustain you. In the case of Pernelle and myself, our cores are truly massive. Over 1400 for Pernelle and both of mine are well over 1200. But the issue is that the majority of those cores keep us alive as our bodies are unable to do that unaided any longer. Should we have a magical battle with someone like Dumbledore or Riddle, the amount of magic required to win would kill us."

There was a pause while Harry assimilated all of this new information. It was rapidly shifting his world view. It was Pernelle who spoke next.

"For returning our Stone, Harry, and because I am a Great Aunt somewhere along the way, we would like to help you." Nicholas placed a vial of potion on the table. "This is a small potion made from our stone. It will expand both of your cores. They will never reach what they were, but you will have access to them both and you will, as such, have more magic than previously imagined."

Both waited, watching him expectantly. Harry cautiously reached out to grasp the potion. If this really was the Flamels before him, this could change things and get him back on track to saving the world. If, on the other hand, this was some elaborate trick he would probably be dead shortly. After a few more minutes of consideration, Harry took the vial and tossed it back, swallowing the thick substance. It took a few more minutes before he felt anything. The first thing he felt was his magic as his core rebounded. Nicholas drew his wand and cast a spell. His whistle indicated good news.

"Wow. Well that should be well worth your time, Mr. Potter. Both cores now measure 141 Hekas. I'm sure it was larger before, but consider now that overall, you have access to 282 Hekas. I must remind you, though, to practice and explore utilizing both cores. It would not do to allow one to fade while the other grows. Magical atrophy is by far one of the worst possible fates."

The three settled into more conversations about the Flamels life. It was only as a scream came from the gate where Harry was reminded he was at school. As he stood to run, he turned back at the Flamels call.

"Harry. Thank you once more. You were far more gracious with our gift than our previous student. It is for this reason we have gifted you with this. Please make us proud."

Harry nodded and smiled, tears in his eyes. With a final goodbye, He turned and ran.

As he left, Nicholas tiredly sat beside Pernelle and took her hand.

"Is it done, love?"

"Yes my husband."

"Shall we go then?"

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

Harry roared into the school, unsure of what to expect. The sound had terrified him, but the scene before him was indeed unexpected.

Quirrel stood, his back to the main entrance where Harry approached from. His arm was wrapped around someone, though Harry could not clearly see who. From their positions, Harry assumed there was a wand in Quirrel's hand, trained on his hostage.

Across from the possessed teacher stood several terrified looking students as well as all the Heads of houses and Dumbledore. There were several wands trained on the teacher, but based on the laughter coming from the man, he did not care.

With abandon, Harry raced forward and grasped at the turban still perched on the man's head. In doing so, His hand touched the neck.

Everyone grasped their ears at the scream that followed. All watched on in shock as Quirrel's body disintegrated into dust. There was terror in their eyes as a black looking shade rose into the air and hissed at them.

"Thisss isss not over!"

Harry missed all of this as the girl the teachers had been holding fainted back against him. Just as Harry realized it was once more Katie Bell in his arms, the shade turned and rushed into him. While Harry felt the monster trying to possess him, he fought back and forced the spirit from his body.

And in that final moment, Harry potter fainted, too exhausted to continue standing.

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

Harry woke to concerned voices standing over him. The first one was madam Pomfrey.

"I don't know how he did it, but I am glad."

"Was it fixing his cores?" That was McGongall.

"No, he did not fix them, just expanded both."

"But how?" This time it was Flitwick.

"I'm just glad the boy is safe." Sprout speaking that time.

"It is just Potter once more trying to show off!" Harry could almost hear the sneer in Snape's voice.

"ENOUGH!" Harry carefully sat up after his shout. His head was now throbbing. As he did, the heads of house, Dumbledore, and Madam Pomfrey rushed over.

"Harry, My Boy, it is wonderful to see you doing so well. You gave us quite a scare there."

"What happened sir?"

"We were hoping you could tell us?"

I had been down by the lake, working on growing my magic, when I heard screaming. I snuck back in and had the drop on Professor Quirrel, so I took it. Then I woke up here."

Dumbledore gave a sad shake of his head.

"I'm sorry to say, Harry, but Professor Quirrel died under your hand." There were shocked looks around the room, but Harry was glad to see them directed at the ancient headmaster as opposed to himself. It was Flitwick who jumped to his defense.

"I'll say that Mr. Potter acted admirably in defense of another student and more likely the school considering what he was attempting to steal."

"Ah yes, about that, it would appear we were too late. The stone he stole was nothing more than a stone. When I pulled it from our dearly departed professor, it changed back to a regular stone. It would seem some of our students may have bested us." There was a pointed look at Harry here. The young boy decided it was time to change the subject.

"Headmaster…I was wondering…well, you see, my relatives really do not want me there and I'd rather not go back. Do I have to return?"

"Well, Harry my boy, we shall see. For now, I'm afraid you will have to return until I am able to find another suitable-"

His words were cut off by the fight from the other staff, except Snape who merely smiled. Harry did not like that smile and expected nothing good to come from it.

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVX

Nothing good did come. Soon thereafter Harry found himself in a compartment on the train. He had not gotten permission to go somewhere else. Even when he had asked Petunia, she had informed him there was no way and he would have to return 'home'. Harry knew there was dirty work at play. For all he had done to turn teachers against Dumbledore, the school board and the larger part of Magical Britain still worshipped the man. His rumors had done their work and while there had been a few hiccups, the large part of the nation merely thought Harry was clamoring for attention.

On top of that, even having saved her once more, he had been unable to catch up with and talk to Katie. Something was going on. Something was wrong. But he had no idea what or how to fix it. And it infuriated him.

So as Harry sat dejectedly in his seat on the ride home, it fell to the rest of his group to cheer him up. Finally, Hermione had enough and asked the rest of their group, bar the soul mates, to leave for a few minutes. They departed with Neville being last. He simply grinned at Hermione who smiled.

With only those who had returned now in the room, a small session of kissing and chewing him out followed. It left Harry with a strange grin on his face as the rest of his group returned.

The year may have ended miserably in some ways, but this life, the one he had returned for, this was what he wanted.


	21. Chapter 21: Summer One

Harry sat on his cot, reflecting on his summer. Things had deteriorated and he really had no explanation as to why.

He had arrived on the platform and left with his Uncle. He should have noticed the angry determined glint in his uncle's eye, but Harry was so focused on his past year, that he ignored the obvious signs.

And it had cost him.

The moment Harry entered Number Four and the door had shut, he had been kicked to the ground. Harry had tried to roll away, using some skill to escape. Nothing had worked. The inhabitants of Number Four Privet Drive had closed in from all sides, each beating or kicking him. Even his Aunt who had never been one to physically attack Harry previously was involving herself in this new assault.

After several minutes and after Harry was certain he had a broken rib at the very least, the attack eased. Harry looked up to see the very purple face of Vernon.

"If you ever dream of telling anyone you are a freak, or going to that silly school, you will once more wish we were this gentle, do you understand me?"

Harry, with cracked glasses and blood pooling in his mouth nodded the best he could. With that his uncle had dragged him once more to the cupboard under the stairs. After throwing Harry unceremoniously into the tiny room, he had slammed the door shut.

Harry had been left there for two days. Due to the pain, he had been unconscious for most of it. When he was dragged out on the third day to make breakfast, Harry discovered why he had been unable to budge the door, though he never heard Vernon lock it. Harry's trunk was tucked up right beside the door with the floor showing signs of having been dragged before it.

But it was the mangled cage which had nearly set Harry off. He was worried that the Dursley's had done something stupid such as kill his owl and that was something Harry would not stand for, no matter what happened. Harry's concerns had quickly been assuaged when Vernon began to boast about letting the 'stupid creature' go. Harry knew Hedwig would come to him.

So Harry's summer had been. He was apparently living in the cupboard once more and Harry had no idea what had changed to make his relatives so violent. They had been rough with him in the previous timeline, but this was a whole new level of pain. Each night he focused his magic to work on healing him, but each new day brought new injuries.

Of course the alone time in the cupboard did give Harry time to focus on his meditation and therefore his two cores. While he was not able to do much actual magic, his magic was able to sustain and heal him. And Harry made a point to use both cores as Nicholas and Pernelle suggested.

Harry had been upset with the two when he discovered that Pernelle was a Potter. He had actual blood relatives in the wizarding world! Ones who could probably take much better care of him than the Dursley's, obviously.

Sadly, reflection on the conversation with his soul mates had confirmed his fears. Pernelle was no longer recognized by magic as a Potter. As such, she could not legally claim him. Nor could Sirius, since Harry had yet to get him out of prison.

So Harry's summer had become hell, once more. And to make matters worse, Harry had yet to receive any contact from anyone. It concerned Harry, though it was not unexpected. He knew Dobby would be interfering. While Harry had hoped to do something about it earlier this go round, he had failed thus far. As such, he had to suffer through this change once again.

And once again, Dobby had come in and ruined his uncle's dinner, leaving Harry trapped. Whereas last time, Harry had the Weasley's to help him escape, he was not close to Ron this go round. Add in that he was trapped beneath the stairs and the hope of escape was gone.

And of course the letter had arrived once more. The looks of malice mixed with glee on his relatives' faces had made for a very long night for Harry.

And that was how Harry found himself sitting hunched on his cot, unable to fully sit up as he had grown a bit in the past several months, meditating. Then a call broke his concentration.

"Harry?"

Harry opened his eyes. He knew that voice. It was not a voice he wanted to hear just yet.

Sure enough, sitting across from him in a space where neither of them truly fit sat Ian.

"Ian?"

"Ah, so you remember me, do you?" The Irish Brogue rang true. Harry could see a look in Ian's eyes where the reaper would not actually meet Harry's eyes.

"Unfortunately. Now what is going on?"

"Ah, well, yes, you see, umm…" As Ian began to rub his hands, Harry got nervous. Then he recognized the look in Ian's eyes. It was a mix of fear and nervousness.

"Spit it out." Harry felt his own nerves give in to frustration. If Ian was actually showing up, this could be bad.

"Ok, well now Harry, understand that working for Death, Chance, and Fate, things are uncertain. You understand?" At Harry's nod, Ian went on. "Excellent! Ok, so you happened to have done an excellent job so far. Some things you couldn't really change because Fate has already decreed them. Sirius must escape, for example. That it why you haven't actually done anything just yet, Fate has prevented you. He has to get out on his own and prove his innocence to you."

"But-"

"Yes, I know he already has. But that is a part of his fate. Just like it is your fate to defeat Riddle. So Fate has been playing her part to assist you, such as seeing Daphne's memories and what not. But apparently Chance has wanted into the game as well. And that is where things get dicey."

"Dicey?"

"Yes, exactly! You know how you had five soul mates and had to find them?" Harry nodded dumbly, attempting to follow this line of thought. "Wonderful, I knew you were a smart one! Well, you see, Chance decided you ended his game far too early."

"Too early? I'm still playing it! The torture my soul mates went through? None of it is fair!"

At Harry's outburst, Ian got a grin on his face. It made Harry very uncomfortable.

"And that is exactly why this new 'game' of Chance's. You are so worried for those ladies, he feels you can help some others." Suddenly a light went off for Harry.

"Others? No. NO!" Ian simply raised an eyebrow, so Harry continued his rant. "No. I have already ruined the lives of five wonderful young women and I will not do it to anymore!"

"Well, see, you don't really have a choice. Chance has already set the game in motion and not playing it will definitely hurt you and them, according to fate." After a few minutes of glaring, Harry gave in.

"Fine, so what is this twisted new way Chance has found to entertain himself with my life?"

"Well, you have a habit of gathering life debts. 163 in your first timeline, fyi. Not that we are counting or anything. Dumbledore was the only one close and at his age only had 158. Disregarding all of that, you will gather life debts. It happens. Especially to you. So Chance has decided to add a few of these to your little harem." Ian grinned as he called Harry's group a harem. Harry just groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Why? Why me?" He stopped as he thought back to the last year. He thoughts about what happened when he kissed his soul mates. He thoughts about Katie's reaction when they kissed and how she had been avoiding him. "How do I know which of these will be soul mates and what happens when we kiss?"

"Now you are thinking! Well, obviously there must be a life debt before they can be a soul mate. Once it exists, Chance will make the decision. Can't really tell you more than that, but you will have that same feeling you did with your other soul mates the first time your eyes meet afterwards. And when you kiss, they will probably get their memories back too."

"Probably?"

"Indeed! Considering your list of life debts, there are some I am sure you would not want to get their memories back. Trust me on that."

Harry thought about that statement. Who the hell did Chance expect to join this wild adventure he was on? It could not be good if there were some who would be better off without memories, especially considering Daphne's reaction or Luna's history. Any of the girl's histories for that matter. Harry let out a deep sigh and brought his attention back to the reaper.

"So what now? And have I created a bond since?"

"Well, for now, enjoy your summer. I am not allowed to say if any more bonds have formed or not. Chance does love games. But remember that once the bond forms, even if the person hates you and you never talk again, they will be unable to betray you. Also, you should probably know that Dumbledore is the reason behind your abuse this summer. Decided they were not treating you roughly enough if you were so defiant."

"You are not really making me feel any better!" Harry dropped his face into his hands once more. When he looked up, he was once more in his cupboard alone. He laid back, trying to settle once more into relaxing when he heard another voice cut through.

"Harry?"

Harry tensed. This was not a voice he had expected, and he was not sure if it was a voice he wanted to hear. After some twitching and squeaking, he heard the trunk being dragged away from the door. And as the door was flung open, Harry's eyes fell upon his once girlfriend and potioneer.

Ginny Weasley stood before the door.

Their eyes met and after a brief moment of staring, she squeaked and ran. A few moments later, Fred and George popped into view.

"Well Hello there-"

"-Mr. Potter! You have some-"

"-rather concerned people."

"As such, we decided-"

"-That we should pop in and say-"

"Hello!" The two finished together. It brought a smile to Harry's very tired face. He had not had much to smile about over the past few weeks, but this was good. Harry was confused though as Ginny peeked around the door. Pointedly looking in her direction, Harry got the twins attention.

"Pardon us Harry-"

"-but we really should introduce our-"

"-youngest sibling. This is-"

"-Ginny Weasley. Right-"

"-terror she is. You should-"

"-see her bat bogey hex."

"Dangerous!"

"Now, Let's be on our way!"

"Before those muggles wake up-"

"-from the little potion we slipped them."

Harry found himself being dragged outside with his trunk in short order. As he did, Hedwig flew down to join him. After a brief and emotional reunion, the two jumped into the Ford Anglia. It was a few hours later that found the car settling into the ground near the Burrow. While Fred and George had been talking animatedly from the front, Ginny had been sitting in the back blushing. She wouldn't even look in his direction and Harry was relieved for that. But also annoyed.

And the annoying feeling grew as Harry saw who was waiting at the back door as they approached.

The conversation which followed was very similar to the previous one, discussing his being trapped beneath the cupboard. It was nearly breakfast time and the issues arose as the youngest Weasley son ambled down the stairs. As Ron's eyes fell on Harry, all discussion stopped with the shout.

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!"

"Ronald Weasley!" His mother admonished him. "You be polite to our guests or you will get a much smaller breakfast."

Harry almost broke out laughing at the young red head's blushing and lowering of his head to that threat. But what came next was indeed a problem.

"Now, since you are here, Harry, you can room with Ronald."

"What?!" The four simultaneous shouts from Harry, Ron, and the twins threw everyone off. Including Mrs. Weasley. But she recovered quickly.

"Well of course. It would never do to have the young man sleeping on the couch and there is no other room."

"Mom, you really don't want to do that."

"Yeah, give him Bill and Charlie's room."

The twins jumped in. They had seen the interaction between their younger brother and Harry. It would be a shock if Ron lasted the summer. And more than that, they liked Harry.

"Nonesense. Besides, we need to keep those rooms for when Bill or Charlie visit. I'm sure Ron and Harry will be the best of friends by the end of summer, right Harry?" Here she turned to face Harry. As she did, Harry felt something tugging at him to just agree. She was so nice and must be right after all. And suddenly Harry looked down. He had been drinking tea provided by Mrs. Weasley. Harry fought for a moment. He would not lie to Mrs. Weasley, but he wanted to keep his plans hidden. All that said, there was no way he could comfortably sit in the same room as Ron.

"Mrs. Weasley, while I am sure under different circumstances you would be correct, I can not in good conscience share with Mr. Weasley. He has been the direct reason this past year for a great deal of danger for my friends. As such, it would be betraying them. You have been more than generous by sharing your home with me, however, and I would not wish to impose. As such, while I cannot agree to share with Ron, I would not mind either the couch or sleeping on the floor of the twins room perhaps?"

At Harry's words, the room grew quiet. Molly knew that if Harry felt safer sleeping with the Twins than Ron, her youngest son was a waste. All he had to do was become friends with Potter, then she would have an in. And even with his potions in him, he seemed to be standing up to it just fine. She was going to have to increase the dosage while he was here. She had hoped to wait a few years yet before starting it on him, but it was obvious that would not work. So if it took giving the older room to get the young man to stay comfortably, she would do it.

"No, I don't think that will be a problem. I'm sure that Bill and Charlie would not mind you using their room."

"Of course non mum."

"Yeah, Charlie hasn't been home in two years."

"Since he left to work on the preserve."

"And Bill hasn't stopped by…"

"-in three years."

Mrs. Weasley offered the two a glare before sending them into action.

"Well, it is time for breakfast. You two help Harry get his trunk to the room, and then everyone can come eat."

It was a few minutes later when Harry found himself situated beside Ginny. As he sat down, she blushed the brightest red Harry had seen from anyone. As Harry began to move things to his plate, the table settled down. It was when He raised his tea glass to drink that something interesting happened.

Rather than actually being allowed to drink his tea, Ginny reached over and pulled his arm down. Harry looked at her, confused. As he did, Harry noticed the twins distracting Molly and Ron. Ginny leaned in close.

"Don't drink the tea. Mom put something in it, but just yours. The twins and I have some pumpkin juice you can have later."

Harry just looked at her. This was certainly unexpected. Ginny stepping in and stopping Molly? This was either a trick or she was being honest and at the moment Harry was not sure which. When he saw one of the twins turn and wink at him, he decided to trust them for now. Then they both turned to look at him, Ginny and Harry still close together from the whispering.

"Well look at that! Harry is already making a move on our poor innocent sister!" This drew the attention from everyone else back to the duo. As Harry and Ginny both blushed, the twins started making kissing sounds. Ron looked ready to burst in anger while Mrs. Weasley suddenly had a contented smile on her face. Then all Hell broke loose as Ginny stood and began to move toward the twins. Harry noticed that as the twins stood, they deliberately hit the table, knocking the tea over.

As the twins fled from Ginny, Harry moved to get away from Ron. The younger red head had decided Harry was not worth his fury at this point.

Something very strange was going on at the Burrow.

The next few days were a whirl. Harry made the trip once more to the Leaky Cauldron with the Weasley's, but did not get to meet the Granger's on this go round. Harry moved to Gringotts and was able to get some time alone to stop by his vault and visit his account manager. Mrs. Weasley did not seem happy to let him go, but she did not voice her opinion either. Her lack of vocal responses was really beginning to concern Harry.

So Harry was moving to complete his shopping when he happened upon some familiar faces in Florean's. Daphne, Hermione, Luna, Padma, and Anemy, were all gathered around a table. Harry came over and plopped into a seat between Hermione and Daphne with a grin on his face.

"Hi ladies. How has your summer been?"

Rather than respond to him, let along look at him, the group seemed to be ignoring him. After a few more attempts at saying hello, Harry got frustrated.

"Ok, I give. What's going on?!" At this, all five women turned to glare at him.

"Oh, so now you want to talk to us?" The accusation in Hermione's voice hurt.

"We write to you all summer." Daphne followed. Harry felt as if all the hard work with her was collapsing.

"And you can't even write us back?" Anemy seemed upset, a new look on her.

"Not even let us know you're ok?" The hurt in Padma's tone was breaking Harry's heart. The kicker, however, came when he reached over for Luna's hand.

Hurt silver eyes stared back at him while pulling her hand away. Harry had enough.

"Ok, this is too much. You all wrote me? How would I know? I was trapped in the cupboard under the stairs once more until the twins and Ginny saved me four days ago. And sending me letters? I understand if the rest of you forgot, but Hermione, remember a little elf named Dobby?" Harry felt his anger taking hold. He really did not want to be angry at them. It wasn't their fault and he could understand their position, but taking it out on him after his summer was difficult. As his magic flared, he saw a glazed look hit Hermione's eyes.

"Dobby…Dobby. YES!" Suddenly Hermione shook her head. "That Bastard!"

Instantly all eyes focused on the bushy haired pre-teen. It was Harry who summed up what they were all thinking.

"Huh?"

Hermione just rolled her eyes at him.

"Harry, I need you to do that again, where you flared your magic? But you need to focus it on each of us."

A Confused looking Harry did as he was told. It took some effort, but after his meditation exercises this summer, it was not overly difficult. As he did, he saw the glazed looks followed by anger in each of the girls eyes once more. Their statements were similar to Hermione's. It took a few more minutes before anyone could answer Harry's request for more information.

"I had just arrived home when Dumbledore showed up. He was telling my parents about how dangerous being friends with Harry was before he turned to me, telling me how Harry did not really care about me and would not respond to my owls." Hermione was furious. Based on the looks from the other girls, it was similar with them. "He cast a compulsion on us!"

"Apparently he doesn't like the idea of me having friends."

The group settled down, discussing what Dumbledore's actions meant.

After a pleasant discussion, Harry and his soul mates stood to move toward Flourish and Blots. Everyone needed their books and Harry was told they saved it till last because of Hermione. While she blushed, Harry laughed.

It was his laughter that drew Gilderoy Lockhart's attention.

"Ah, if it isn't Harry Potter!" The Blond one came over and grabbed Harry for a photo. It was all Harry could do to push with his magic. As the photographer snapped the photo, Gilderoy flew away from Harry. While Harry desperately wanted to laugh and his soul mates did, Harry held his composure and moved to help Lockhart stand.

"I'm sorry sir. I have bad reactions when attacked."

"Attacked? No, my boy, I was just coming to say hello." He paused and turned back to the crowd. Harry hid a grin as he saw Rita taking notes on him stating Lockhart had attacked him. Harry knew the witch would cause problems, but he did not mind letting her play with that tidbit.

"Besides, I have an announcement to make! I, Gilderoy Lockhart have been named the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor for Hogwarts this year!" Harry hid a groan as Lockhart once again gave Harry a fee set of books. Harry noted the fight between Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy. Harry made a quick pass by Ginny's cauldron, placing the books there and meant to grab the diary. He was shocked when it was not there.

As Harry sullenly moved back towards his friends, he was grabbed by his shoulder. He looked back to see Molly Weasley staring at him.

"Where do you think you are going, young man?"

"To speak with my friends, ma'am." Harry indicated the group of friends. His soul mates stood watching the interaction. They had hear about his summer earlier and were all tense for any interactions with the Weasley Matriarch. They noticed the dangerous look in Molly's eyes before she carefully withdrew her hand.

"Alright, just be careful. Meet us in the Leaky Cauldron in an hour."

Harry certainly had an interesting summer. Mrs. Weasley's easy withdrawal and not demanding more since he was a child was concerning, as was the fact that she was already potioning him. Ginny's actions were also confusing.

Then harry looked around. As green eyes met chocolate, silver, grey, blue, and brown, Harry relaxed. Between Ian, Dumbledore, Dobby, and the Weasley's, this year would be tough. But with his friends, they would get through.


End file.
